The creator behind the explosively popular Sylvanian Drama TikTok account, which features darkly comedic skits starring Sylvanian Family figurines, has reportedly been sued by the Japanese toy giant Epoch Company. The toy brand is seeking damages for copyright infringement and acts of false endorsement. As of this week, according to the Irish Independent, the parties have entered settlement talks.
Thea Von Engelbrechten, who is based in Kildare, Ireland, started the TikTok account in her childhood bedroom out of boredom in January 2021, never imagining that her videos would amass millions of fans. Combining the innocence of Sylvanian Family toys and the absurd hilarity of soap opera scenarios involving murder, kidnappings and infidelity, the skits quickly gained a cult following — 2.5 million followers on TikTok and 1 million on Instagram. In the past few years, she has collaborated with major brands like Netflix, Asos, Sephora, Taco Bell, Burberry and Marc Jacobs, to name just a few.
from Epoch Company’s court complaint, filed April 7, 2025.
Epoch Company, which originated the Sylvanian Family toys in 1985, claimed in a lawsuit filed in the US this April that Von Engelbrechten was “creating, publishing and disseminating online advertising videos” using the dolls without the brand’s permission. Both parties are now actively engaged in settlement discussions, and the initial pretrial conference is set to take place on August 14.
Epoch’s original complaint states that Von Engelbrechten will continue to “cause irreparable injury” to the company’s “goodwill and reputation” through her account unless enjoined. According to Epoch, Sylvanian Drama content could confuse potential customers by giving the impression that the videos were officially produced, authorized or endorsed by Epoch.
Sylvanian Drama has not posted a new video on Tiktok or Instagram since January 2025.
Behind the Meteoric Rise of Sylvanian Drama
At a bleak time when Zillennials were being bombarded by a never-ending scroll of disposable content on TikTok, the Sylvanian Drama skits immediately stood out for their deadpan humor, plot twists and questionably adorable visuals. Often set to 2010s pop hits, the skits communicate dialogue solely through text overlays, with rapid sequences of one liners, dramatic zoom-ins and internet lingo. Uniquely hypnotic and addictive, the videos take a comedic approach to topics like modern dating, diet culture and politics with layers of internet and pop culture references.
A Sylvanian Drama skit, image courtesy of The Face
Thea Von Englebrechten, who is in her early 20s, dropped out of her multimedia degree once her account took off, turning Sylvanian Drama into her full-time job. She has said that it takes about five hours to make one short-form video, as she goes through the entire production process — the intricate sets, costumes, lights and all — without an assistant. Sylvanian Drama’s first brand deal was with luxury fashion giant Burberry, and it involved a critter toting a miniature Burberry Lola Bag.
While discussing her partnerships with Marketing Brew last year, Von Englebrechten expressed that she would “definitely be interested” in a collaboration with Epoch, “but it’s not something that has happened.”
Although Von Englebrechten initially started the project as a joke, inspired by campy TV shows like Desperate Housewives and Pretty Little Liars, the aspiring film director has shared that she hopes the account will help her branch out into writing for the screen. “I’m still surprised that people even watch the videos because they’re so stupid … I’m surprised I’m not already cancelled,” she said in an interview two years ago. “Comedy can be quite hard because it’s so niche and weird. But the biggest thing I’ve learned is that, if you find something funny, some other people will.”
