A former assistant to Paul Schrader has accused the Oscar-nominated writer-director of sexual assault, sexual harassment, retaliation and reneging on a confidential settlement deal.
The accusations got here in a grievance filed Thursday in New York in search of a abstract judgment concerning enforcement of the settlement, which the “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull” screenwriter allegedly agreed to in precept on Feb. 5 however by no means signed. The previous assistant is referred to in courtroom paperwork as Jane Doe to guard her privateness amid allegations of sexual impropriety.
Philip J. Kessler, Schrader’s lawyer, deemed the lawsuit “desperate, opportunistic and frivolous” in a remark to the Related Press and mentioned lots of its llegations are false or materially deceptive. He “absolutely” denied that Schrader ever tried to have a sexual relationship with Doe and mentioned that his consumer merely selected to not signal the proposed settlement.
In accordance with a courtroom doc, Doe, 26, labored for Schrader, 78, from Might 2021 to September 2024. The doc alleges he sexually assaulted her in Might 2024 throughout the Cannes Movie Pageant, the place they had been selling his most up-to-date directorial effort, the Richard Gere-Uma Thurman drama “Oh, Canada,” which he additionally co-wrote.
The doc additional alleges that, in Cannes, Schrader at one level ordered Doe to his room the place he “trapped her inside, grabbed her arms, and thrust his face into hers to kiss her against her will, and then further restrained her in an effort to keep her in the room.”
Three days later, after “luring” Doe to his room ostensibly to pack his baggage for him, saying he was “dying” and couldn’t do it himself, “Schrader opened the door to his hotel room wearing nothing but an open bathrobe with his penis fully exposed,” the submitting says. “As Ms. Doe attempted to pack Mr. Schrader’s bags in terrified silence, he repeatedly commented, ‘I am so sweaty. I sweated through the bedsheets. Feel how wet they are.’ Ms. Doe packed his bags as quickly as she could, and left.”
Schrader’s lawyer disagreed with that assertion. “The agreement that they’re trying to enforce against Mr. Schrader, in plain English, required both parties to sign it before it became legally effective,” Kessler advised the AP. “Mr. Schrader declined to sign it. It’s frankly as simple as that.”
The settlement quantity was redacted from paperwork related to the declare. Doe is asking that Schrader pay her the allegedly agreed-upon sum plus curiosity, courtroom prices, authorized charges and extra damages equal to 10% of the settlement.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
