Paul Schrader, the acclaimed writer behind cinematic masterpieces like 'Taxi Driver' and ‘Raging Bull,’ has been accused of sexual harassment and assault by his former assistant.
An unnamed 26-year-old woman filed a case against the writer and alleged that Schrader, 78, grabbed and kissed her during the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. The case was filed in New York, reported AFP.
The victim, who has been given the pseudonym Jane Doe in the suit, claimed that she was summoned to the famous writer's hotel room where Schrader exposed himself.
"Since Defendant Schrader's brutal attack on Doe, exposure of his genitals to her, and his countless other acts of sexual harassment, she has suffered, inter alia, nightmares, extreme anxiety, and trauma, and has withdrawn almost completely from her former life," the suit says.
"Two days later, in full acknowledgement of his unlawful and predatory behaviour, he wrote in an email to her...'If I have become a Harvey Weinstein in your mind, then of course you have no choice but to put me in the rearview mirror," the lawsuit further claimed.
The reference to Harvey Weinstein is especially significant, as Weinstein’s history of sexual abuse and harassment was a major catalyst for the #MeToo movement, which led to widespread calls for accountability in Hollywood.
Weinstein, 73, was the Hollywood power player whose decades-long sexual predation sparked the "Me Too" movement, leading to convictions that are under appeal.
Paul Schrader initially agreed to a settlement, claims victim
{{/usCountry}}Weinstein, 73, was the Hollywood power player whose decades-long sexual predation sparked the "Me Too" movement, leading to convictions that are under appeal.
Paul Schrader initially agreed to a settlement, claims victim
{{/usCountry}}Jane Doe's suit said Schrader initially agreed to an undisclosed financial settlement over the allegations but later backed out. The fresh motion seeks to enforce the terms of the agreement and demands reimbursement for legal fees and costs.
Schrader's lawyer, Philip Kessler, told AFP on Monday that they would contest the lawsuit.
He said Schrader had not signed an agreement, which meant it was null and void.
The writer's lawyer says 'he kissed the victim twice'
Claiming that the sexual harassment allegations against his client were "seriously inaccurate, very misleading and fundamentally untrue, the lawyer said that Schrader kissed the victim twice.
"He kissed her twice in almost three and a half years, and it was only at the time of the second kiss that she indicated displeasure, and he never attempted to kiss her again," Kessler said.
"He will also say that he never attempted to have sex with her, and he will also say that he never exposed himself to her," he added.