OFF BEAT: Zooey's boots are made for walkin' away from lawsuit

“New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel has dropped a lawsuit against shoemaker Steve Madden that claims she was never paid for a $2 million endorsement deal.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in December 2010, alleged that Ms. Deschanel’s agent negotiated a $2 million oral contract with Madden to use the entertainer’s name and likeness in connection with shoes and accessories. The plaintiff also stated that while Madden attempted to negotiate the fee down to $1.5 million, she never received any payment.

After her representatives purchased a pair of Madden-made “Candie’s Zooey shoes” through Kohl’s Corp.’s department store website, Ms. Deschanel filed an amended complaint that asserted Madden also infringed upon her publicity rights, in addition to breach of contract.

But last week, before the case could go before a jury, Ms. Deschanel’s lawyers requested that the case be dismissed with prejudice. Terms of any possible settlement are not known.