Two Miami-Dade sheriff’s deputies have filed a defamation lawsuit in a Florida court over the Netflix film “The Rip” [1].

The legal action highlights the tension between creative dramatization and the real-life reputations of public servants. If the court finds that the film's fictionalized accounts are indistinguishable from reality to a reasonable viewer, it could set a precedent for how production companies handle "inspired by" narratives.

The deputies allege that the movie incorporates specific real-life details from a 2016 case in South Florida [1, 3]. According to the plaintiffs, these details lead viewers to believe the officers committed the crimes depicted in the film [2, 3].

There are conflicting reports regarding the exact targets of the litigation. Some reports said the lawsuit is directed at the production company, Artists Equity [1]. Other reports said the deputies are suing the film's leads, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon [2, 4].

This legal dispute follows previous communication between the parties. In March 2026, Artists Equity issued a response letter regarding the matter [1].

The film is currently distributed worldwide on Netflix [1]. The officers seek damages for the perceived harm to their professional reputations caused by the depiction [2, 5].

“Two Miami-Dade sheriff’s deputies have filed a defamation lawsuit in a Florida court over the Netflix film “The Rip”.”

This case centers on the legal boundary between artistic license and defamation. Because the plaintiffs are public officials, they must typically prove 'actual malice'—that the creators knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. The outcome will depend on whether the film's use of 2016 case details creates a false impression of fact that transcends mere fiction.