Latest news with #PaulSchrader
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paul Schrader Responds to Sexual Assault Allegation In Open Letter: ‘I Have Nothing to Hide About My Conduct'
Paul Schrader has written a letter to his friends and associates responding to sexual assault allegations posed by his 26-year-old former assistant, claiming her accusations couldn't be 'further from the truth.' On April 3, Schrader's former assistant, identified as Jane Doe, alleged in a legal filing that the 'Taxi Driver' screenwriter had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. One alleged incident occurred shortly after last year's 'Oh, Canada' premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where she claims Schrader exposed his penis to her in his hotel room. She also claimed that Schrader's lawyer agreed on a monetary settlement after the alleged abuse, but after some 'soul searching,' he pulled out of the deal. The Jane Doe's lawyers then filed a motion in New York state court to enforce the settlement and recoup litigation expenses. More from Variety Paul Schrader Accused of Sexually Harassing Assistant and Reneging on Settlement Paul Schrader Says He Asked ChatGPT for Film Ideas and They Were All 'Original' and 'Fleshed Out': 'Why Should Writers Sit Around for Months' When 'AI Can Provide One in Seconds?' 'Oh, Canada' Trailer: Jacob Elordi Plays Young Richard Gere and Dodges the Vietnam War Draft in Paul Schrader's Cannes Favorite Schrader has since responded to the claims in a letter sent Monday. In it, he writes that it's 'important' for the masses to 'hear from me directly about the subject' to get his side of the accusations, which he claims to be 'false and misleading.' The letter reads, 'Out of the blue, in the fall of last year, a lawyer I had never heard of, representing my former assistant, sent me a letter demanding that I pay my former assistant millions of dollars or she would go public with sensational, false and misleading accusations about our relationship and my conduct via a lawsuit.' He explains that he felt 'legally entitled' to back out of a settlement, which he claims 'would not be effective unless both Plaintiff and I signed it.' Schrader then goes on to detail the most 'physically 'intimate' experiences' he shared with his former assistant, claiming they shared 'two kisses on the lips.' He stressed that they 'never had sex in any form.' 'The first kiss was in December 2023 in a New York bar after we had both been drinking. She continued working actively with me thereafter. She did not indicate to me that she had been troubled by the kiss, much less that she preferred to change or end our relationship,' Schrader wrote. 'The second kiss took place in May 2024 at Cannes where she had accompanied me for the premiere of my most recent film. Once again, after we had been drinking together, I kissed her. This time she indicated displeasure. I never attempted to kiss her again and I also apologized. Even after Cannes, Plaintiff expressed emphatically her desire to continue to work, dine and travel with me.' Schrader ends his letter by saying he understands he will be 'presumed guilty' in the 'current climate' surrounding sexual assault in Hollywood, but remains confident the court would 'see the truth' if he goes to trial. 'I have nothing to hide about my conduct — and that includes my decision not to yield to the pressure of my former assistant's threat to make her sensational allegations public, a threat that she and her lawyers have now executed,' Schrader wrote. 'If this case ever makes it to trial, I will be honest with the judge and jury who I am confident will see the truth.' Read the full letter below. You may have read that my former assistant filed a lawsuit making some allegations about me. I am writing because you are important to me and I want you to hear from me directly about this subject. Out of the blue, in the fall of last year, a lawyer I had never heard of, representing my former assistant, sent me a letter demanding that I pay my former assistant millions of dollars or she would go public with sensational, false and misleading accusations about our relationship and my conduct via a lawsuit. I understood that the mere assertion of such accusations would be damaging and hurtful. As a result, I nearly committed to settling the claims by paying a small fraction of the amount that had been initially demanded to avoid the hurt and harm that the publicity surrounding a lawsuit with these kinds of false and misleading accusations would cause, to say nothing of the cost of litigation. Upon reflection, I changed my mind, which I believe I was legally entitled to do, and declined to sign the written settlement agreement the lawyers had prepared. I refused to bow to the coercion created by what I regard as unwarranted and opportunistic claims and resolved to defend myself. Plaintiff has now filed suit, apparently hoping against hope for a quick money grab. She hasn't sued for sexual harassment; she has sued to enforce against me the settlement agreement I declined to sign—even though the agreement says clearly that it would not be effective unless both Plaintiff and I signed it. Although her lawsuit is for breach of the settlement agreement draft, it gratuitously includes some of the sensational, false, and misleading accusations that were contained in her demand letter. I am not a mind reader, but I believe that the accusations were included as a tactic—to bully me into writing a check. If that is their plan, it will not succeed. The lawsuit labors to create a false impression about my character and my interactions with her. It also rewrites history, in a desperate attempt to transform our relationship of more than three years, which consisted of Plaintiff's diligent work and very willing non-sexual companionship, into something unwelcome, coercive and odious to her. Nothing could be further from the truth. To be absolutely clear: I never had sex in any form with Plaintiff. Nor did I ever attempt such a thing—period. I never exposed myself to Plaintiff—at any time. Our most physically 'intimate' experiences together consisted of two kisses on the lips, which occurred months apart. We also often kissed one another on the cheek in gestures of greeting and farewell. The first kiss was in December 2023 in a New York bar after we had both been drinking. She continued working actively with me thereafter. She did not indicate to me that she had been troubled by the kiss, much less that she preferred to change or end our relationship. She even co-wrote a script with me after this kiss. The second kiss took place in May 2024 at Cannes where she had accompanied me for the premiere of my most recent film. Once again, after we had been drinking together, I kissed her. This time she indicated displeasure. I never attempted to kiss her again and I also apologized. Even after Cannes, Plaintiff expressed emphatically her desire to continue to work, dine and travel with me. She also expressed her desire to work with me on my next film, which was scheduled for production last fall. Finally, she participated in an interview and voluntarily made personal social media posts in which she chose to praise me. Plaintiff was my Production Assistant from June 2021 until September 2024. During our more than three years of work together, she eagerly accompanied me to numerous work and social events as my guest. These events included small, private dinners with prominent celebrities in the entertainment industry. We also dined together in restaurants, drank together in bars, visited museums, and attended concerts, plays and film festivals. She never expressed any reluctance to attend these events or to join me in these one-on-one activities. If she was unhappy to participate in these activities, she didn't show or mention it. On the contrary, she repeatedly expressed to me enthusiasm about her participation. Her lawsuit tries to paint a very different picture—one that isn't true. It is more than a little revealing that, throughout her employment, Plaintiff chose on her own to make flattering social media remarks about me, emphasizing her belief in my talent and her delight in my mentorship. I think it is at least as revealing that a number of her social media posts have been deleted since she engaged counsel and asserted her claims. The deletions include her reference to me as 'my man'. In the summer of 2024, having completed my most recent film, I had no need for a full-time assistant. Plaintiff was living in Arizona then, caring for her ailing grandfather, who subsequently passed away. Rather than eliminating her position, I reduced her compensation by approximately 50% even though she was not doing much work for me. I hoped that she would return to full-time work in the not-too-distant future when my next contemplated film project would create a need for an assistant. I also emphasized to her that if she was ready to move on in her career, she should do so and would have my unqualified encouragement. Within a few months of this reduction in pay, I heard for the first time about the grievances detailed in the demand letter, which have been partially published in the lawsuit papers. I understand that in the current climate a defendant accused of sexual harassment is often presumed guilty in the court of public opinion without the fairness of due process– unless and until the defendant proves his or her innocence. But that presumption is not always true. It is not true in this case. I have nothing to hide about my conduct— and that includes my decision not to yield to the pressure of my former assistant's threat to make her sensational allegations public, a threat that she and her lawyers have now executed. If this case ever makes it to trial, I will be honest with the judge and jury who I am confident will see the truth. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paul Schrader Details Kissing Former Assistant in Letter Addressing Sexual Harassment Lawsuit: ‘I Have Nothing to Hide'
Paul Schrader continued mounting his defense Monday against a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by his former assistant last week, detailing in a written appeal to friends and family two instances where he kissed the young woman on the mouth. He maintained that they 'never had sex in any form' and that he never exposed himself to her in a Cannes hotel room, as she claimed in her Thursday filing. 'I have nothing to hide about my conduct — and that includes my decision not to yield to the pressure of my former assistant's threat to make her sensational allegations public, a threat that she and her lawyers have now executed,' Schrader wrote in the letter, obtained and reviewed by TheWrap. 'If this case ever makes it to trial, I will be honest with the judge and jury who I am confident will see the truth.' The 'Taxi Driver' screenwriter, 78, slammed the 26-year-old woman and her allegations as a 'quick money grab' in an attempt to have him pay out a settlement she claims he reneged on in February. He says he never signed the settlement agreement when she first made her allegations last year, despite knowing that doing so would have kept the them confidential. 'I understood that the mere assertion of such accusations would be damaging and hurtful. As a result, I nearly committed to settling the claims by paying a small fraction of the amount that had been initially demanded to avoid the hurt and harm that the publicity surrounding a lawsuit with these kinds of false and misleading accusations would cause, to say nothing of the cost of litigation,' he explained. 'Upon reflection, I changed my mind, which I believe I was legally entitled to do, and declined to sign the written settlement agreement the lawyers had prepared. I refused to bow to the coercion created by what I regard as unwarranted and opportunistic claims and resolved to defend myself.' Elsewhere in the letter, Schrader detailed the two instances he and the assistant kissed on the mouth, both after nights of drinking. The first instance was in December 2023 in New York City. Schrader wrote that 'she did not indicate to me that she had been troubled by the kiss' and continued working with him. The second instance was at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. 'Once again, after we had been drinking together, I kissed her. This time she indicated displeasure. I never attempted to kiss her again and I also apologized,' Schrader wrote. 'Even after Cannes, Plaintiff expressed emphatically her desire to continue to work, dine and travel with me. She also expressed her desire to work with me on my next film, which was scheduled for production last fall. Finally, she participated in an interview and voluntarily made personal social media posts in which she chose to praise me.' Thursday's lawsuit, Schrader said, is an attempt to 'enforce against me the settlement agreement I declined to sign — even though the agreement says clearly that it would not be effective unless both Plaintiff and I signed it.' Terms of the agreement, which included monetary payment to the former assistant, were not disclosed in court documents or Schrader's letter. Of the lawsuit, the woman's lawyer Gregory Chiarello wrote last week, 'This is an open-and-shut settlement enforcement matter.' Schrader's lawyer Philip J. Kessler echoed the filmmaker, arguing the claims against his client 'desperate, opportunistic and frivolous.' 'We absolutely deny that there was ever a sexual relationship of any kind between Mr. Schrader and his former assistant, and we deny that Mr. Schrader ever made an attempt to have a sexual relationship of any kind with his former assistant,' Kessler said. Read Schrader's letter in full below: You may have read that my former assistant filed a lawsuit making some allegations about me. I am writing because you are important to me and I want you to hear from me directly about this subject. Out of the blue, in the fall of last year, a lawyer I had never heard of, representing my former assistant, sent me a letter demanding that I pay my former assistant millions of dollars or she would go public with sensational, false and misleading accusations about our relationship and my conduct via a lawsuit. I understood that the mere assertion of such accusations would be damaging and hurtful. As a result, I nearly committed to settling the claims by paying a small fraction of the amount that had been initially demanded to avoid the hurt and harm that the publicity surrounding a lawsuit with these kinds of false and misleading accusations would cause, to say nothing of the cost of litigation. Upon reflection, I changed my mind, which I believe I was legally entitled to do, and declined to sign the written settlement agreement the lawyers had prepared. I refused to bow to the coercion created by what I regard as unwarranted and opportunistic claims and resolved to defend myself. Plaintiff has now filed suit, apparently hoping against hope for a quick money grab. She hasn't sued for sexual harassment; she has sued to enforce against me the settlement agreement I declined to sign—even though the agreement says clearly that it would not be effective unless both Plaintiff and I signed it. Although her lawsuit is for breach of the settlement agreement draft, it gratuitously includes some of the sensational, false, and misleading accusations that were contained in her demand letter. I am not a mind reader, but I believe that the accusations were included as a tactic—to bully me into writing a check. If that is their plan, it will not succeed. The lawsuit labors to create a false impression about my character and my interactions with her. It also rewrites history, in a desperate attempt to transform our relationship of more than three years, which consisted of Plaintiff's diligent work and very willing non-sexual companionship, into something unwelcome, coercive and odious to her. Nothing could be further from the truth. To be absolutely clear: I never had sex in any form with Plaintiff. Nor did I ever attempt such a thing—period. I never exposed myself to Plaintiff—at any time. Our most physically 'intimate' experiences together consisted of two kisses on the lips, which occurred months apart. We also often kissed one another on the cheek in gestures of greeting and farewell. The first kiss was in December 2023 in a New York bar after we had both been drinking. She continued working actively with me thereafter. She did not indicate to me that she had been troubled by the kiss, much less that she preferred to change or end our relationship. She even co-wrote a script with me after this kiss. The second kiss took place in May 2024 at Cannes where she had accompanied me for the premiere of my most recent film. Once again, after we had been drinking together, I kissed her. This time she indicated displeasure. I never attempted to kiss her again and I also apologized. Even after Cannes, Plaintiff expressed emphatically her desire to continue to work, dine and travel with me. She also expressed her desire to work with me on my next film, which was scheduled for production last fall. Finally, she participated in an interview and voluntarily made personal social media posts in which she chose to praise me. Plaintiff was my Production Assistant from June 2021 until September 2024. During our more than three years of work together, she eagerly accompanied me to numerous work and social events as my guest. These events included small, private dinners with prominent celebrities in the entertainment industry. We also dined together in restaurants, drank together in bars, visited museums, and attended concerts, plays and film festivals. She never expressed any reluctance to attend these events or to join me in these one-on-one activities. If she was unhappy to participate in these activities, she didn't show or mention it. On the contrary, she repeatedly expressed to me enthusiasm about her participation. Her lawsuit tries to paint a very different picture—one that isn't true. It is more than a little revealing that, throughout her employment, Plaintiff chose on her own to make flattering social media remarks about me, emphasizing her belief in my talent and her delight in my mentorship. I think it is at least as revealing that a number of her social media posts have been deleted since she engaged counsel and asserted her claims. The deletions include her reference to me as 'my man'. In the summer of 2024, having completed my most recent film, I had no need for a full-time assistant. Plaintiff was living in Arizona then, caring for her ailing grandfather, who subsequently passed away. Rather than eliminating her position, I reduced her compensation by approximately 50% even though she was not doing much work for me. I hoped that she would return to full-time work in the not-too- distant future when my next contemplated film project would create a need for an assistant. I also emphasized to her that if she was ready to move on in her career, she should do so and would have my unqualified encouragement. Within a few months of this reduction in pay, I heard for the first time about the grievances detailed in the demand letter, which have been partially published in the lawsuit papers. I understand that in the current climate a defendant accused of sexual harassment is often presumed guilty in the court of public opinion without the fairness of due process– unless and until the defendant proves his or her innocence. But that presumption is not always true. It is not true in this case. I have nothing to hide about my conduct— and that includes my decision not to yield to the pressure of my former assistant's threat to make her sensational allegations public, a threat that she and her lawyers have now executed. If this case ever makes it to trial, I will be honest with the judge and jury who I am confident will see the truth. More to come … The post Paul Schrader Details Kissing Former Assistant in Letter Addressing Sexual Harassment Lawsuit: 'I Have Nothing to Hide' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Taxi Driver' Screenwriter Paul Schrader Accused Of Sexual Assault By Former Assistant
Filmmaker Paul Schrader is the subject of a lawsuit by a former personal assistant, who alleges that he sexually assaulted and harassed her during her time of employment, reports The Independent newspaper. The UK title adds that these allegations, the subject of a lawsuit filed in civil court by the unnamed woman, came to light after Schrader reneged on a confidential settlement previously agreed and the complainant filed a new affadavit in New York State Supreme Court. More from Deadline Paul Schrader Posits ChatGPT Can Write "Original" And "Fleshed Out" Movie Scripts 'Oh, Canada' Star Richard Gere And Director Paul Schrader Explain Why The 'American Gigolo' Reunion Took So Long: "The Right Thing Hadn't Occurred" 'My Dead Friend Zoe,' 'Porcelain War,' 'Brooklyn, Minnesota' Among Big Winners At 25th Woodstock Film Festival AP News reports that the complainant is seeking a judge's order to enforce the agreement after Schrader said he couldn't go through with it. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Schrader's attorney Philip Kessler told The Independent that the filmmaker – whose screenwriting credits include Taxi Driver, American Gigolo and Raging Bull and an Oscar nomination for 2017's First Reformed – denied all the allegations made against him, calling it 'a desperate, frivolous and opportunistic claim.' We have reached out to Schrader's legal representatives for comment. The former personal assistant, aged 26, made allegations in the lawsuit arising fro her time working for Schrader 2021 to September 2024, including: That Schrader used his position of power to sexually assault the complainant, luring her into a hotel room, forcibly grabbing and kissing her, then three days later forcing her into his hotel room where he exposed himself; Schrader 'force[d] her to work in a sexually hostile, intimidating, and humiliating environment on a daily, if not hourly, basis'; A 'barrage' of harassment by Schrader, including, among other things, 'forced exposure of his genitals, unwanted sexual advances, repeatedly professing his love and desire to touch Ms. Doe (both verbally and via numerous emails), and near-constant inappropriate sexual questions and lewd and misogynistic commentary'; Schrader fired her last September after she rejected his advances. Schrader's attorney said: 'The underlying intentions of the plaintiff here contain many very material inaccuracies, and are obviously designed to paint Mr. Schrader in a very false light, in an effort to intimidate and coerce him into settling. And just to be very clear, Mr. Schrader never had sex in any form with the plaintiff, nor did he ever attempt such a thing. We will vigorously defend this.' Best of Deadline '1923' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paul Schrader Accused of Sexually Harassing Former Assistant and Backing Out of Settlement
Paul Schrader, the screenwriter behind Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, American Gigolo and Affliction, has been accused of sexually harassing his former assistant and backing out of making settlement payments. In a lawsuit filed in New York on Thursday, the 26-year-old woman, identified as Jane Doe, claims Schrader sexually assaulted her during the Cannes Film Festival last year 'by luring her into a hotel room and forcibly grabbing her and kissing her, despite her verbal protests.' Schrader was at Cannes for the premiere of his latest film, Oh, Canada. More from The Hollywood Reporter The Stars Head to Tuscany: Lucca Film Festival Honors Ethan Hawke, Matthew Modine and Paul Schrader 'Oh, Canada' Director Paul Schrader Talks Casting Jacob Elordi and Richard Gere for Younger vs. Older Versions of Same Character Ethan Hawke to Receive Lucca Film Festival's Golden Panther Award The woman — who worked for Schrader from May 2021 to September 2024 — managed to free herself and flee the hotel room, the suit states. Three days later, the woman went back to the screenwriter's hotel room after 'receiving numerous calls and angry text messages, in which Defendant Schrader claimed that he was 'dying' and could not pack his own bags,' according to the lawsuit. When he opened the door, Schrader allegedly was 'wearing nothing but an open bathrobe, with his penis fully exposed.' The woman states that she packed his bags 'in terrified silence' as quickly as possible before leaving his hotel room. The lawsuit claims Schrader 'repeatedly demonstrated in writing that he understood his conduct was unwelcome and offensive' to his former assistant, 'yet he knowingly proceeded to harass and forcibly touch her.' The complaint includes emails the screenwriter allegedly sent to Jane Doe, such as writing to her on May 22, 2023, 'I sense you are uncomfortable with my affection for you.' After allegedly refusing Schrader's sexual advances, the woman claims he 'retaliated against her and terminated her employment' in September 2024. Two days later, the suit alleges Schrader sent his former assistant an email in 'full acknowledgment of his unlawful and predatory behavior,' writing, 'So I fucked up. Big time. … 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.' After, the lawsuit states the woman retained legal counsel and that their attorneys agreed on a settlement for Schrader to pay a confidential amount to resolve her allegations. However, Schrader allegedly put off signing the agreement. After several weeks, the woman's attorney claims Schrader decided that he 'could not live with himself' if he accepted the settlement and repudiated the binding agreement. Schrader's attorney, Philip Kessler, told The Hollywood Reporter on Friday that the legal filing is a 'desperate, opportunistic and frivolous lawsuit to enforce a settlement that was never signed by Schrader.' Kessler said that the accusations mentioned in the suit are 'in many respects inaccurate, in other respects materially misleading and exaggerated. Mr. Schrader never had sex with his former assistant. He never tried to have sex with his former assistant. The circumstances here will be shown to have been blown very wildly out of proportion to reality.' He added, 'We intend to vigorously defend the case.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Paul Schrader accused of sexually harassing assistant, reneging on settlement agreement
Renowned screenwriter and director Paul Schrader, famous for his work on Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, is facing legal accusations of sexually harassing his former assistant. The 26-year-old woman, identified as Jane Doe, claims Schrader grabbed and kissed her against her will at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024. According to the legal filing, after she protested and fled the room, Schrader summoned her to his hotel room days later, where he allegedly exposed himself to her. Schrader's legal team has denied the accusations, calling them "loaded with inaccuracies" and "materially misleading." The woman's attorneys further allege that Schrader's lawyers initially agreed to a settlement but that Schrader later backed out after "soul searching." They are now seeking to enforce the agreement in New York state court, along with recovery of attorneys' fees. The woman alleges that Schrader made repeated inappropriate sexual advances during their three-and-a-half-year working relationship, which included expressing affection toward her both verbally and through emails. She further claims that she was fired after rejecting his advances in September 2023. Schrader's lawyer, Philip Kessler, argues that since the settlement was never signed, it cannot be enforced. He also highlighted that the woman had previously spoken favorably about Schrader on social media, suggesting her allegations may be opportunistic. Schrader, who received a Venice Golden Lion for career achievement in 2022, is expected to face further legal proceedings.
