Famed Hollywood screenwriter and director Paul Schrader has decided to issue a statement following the sexual assault accusations that his former assistant made against him a few days ago. Although his legal team has already responded to the allegations, Schrader himself has decided to address the accusations that he vehemently denies: “I have nothing to hide about my conduct.”
Per a report by Variety, the Taxi Driver writer has released a formal statement in which he addresses the allegations made by his former assistant, whom he refers to as “plaintiff,” whereas all legal filings refer to her as Jane Doe. The lawsuit in which Schrader was accused of sexual misconduct indicates that he “exposed himself” to her, and between 2021 and 2024, she was the subject of a “sexually hostile, intimidating, and humiliating environment.” Although the legal proceedings were about to be settled out of court, Schrader backed off. Instead, he has released his own version of the story, and what follows is a summary of his statement:
“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.”
Related
Paul Schrader Has No Plans to Collaborate with Martin Scorsese Again
Despite remaining friends after all these years, Paul Schrader doesn’t think he and Martin Scorsese will be collaborating on a project anytime soon.
Schrader’s statement has been addressed to his friends and colleagues, and it also mentions that Jane Doe is not accusing him of sexual harassment, but of refusing to sign the agreement. He also mentions that, even though they never had sex, they did kiss on a couple of occasions. According to the writer, when things got awkward, it all stopped. But during the time when she worked for him, she never mentioned feeling distressed by his presence. Meanwhile, in the original report, it was alleged that he sent her emails addressing his “unwelcome and offensive” actions. Read the rest of Schrader’s statement:
“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 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.”
What Other Movies Is Paul Schrader Known For?
Paul Schrader’s body of work speaks for itself. Besides his groundbreaking work on Taxi Driver and other Martin Scorsese movies like Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ and Bringing Out the Dead, Schrader has also written and directed films like American Gigolo, Hardcore, First Reformed and The Card Counter. In 2019, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in First Reformed.
Even though he has decided to officially defend himself against accusations in court, there’s no doubt that this might put his career in jeopardy. This is a reality that all celebrities face nowadays, regardless of their guilt, political views, or beliefs. Schrader could prove himself to be innocent of any wrongdoing, but he could also be forced to take a step back from making any movies in the near future.
Note: If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
Source: Variety
Taxi Driver
- Release Date
-
February 9, 1976
- Runtime
-
114 Minutes
- Director
-
Martin Scorsese
- Writers
-
Paul Schrader
Cast
Famed Hollywood screenwriter and director Paul Schrader has decided to issue a statement following the sexual assault accusations that his former assistant made against him a few days ago. Although his legal team has already responded to the allegations, Schrader himself has decided to address the accusations that he vehemently denies: “I have nothing to hide about my conduct.”
Per a report by Variety, the Taxi Driver writer has released a formal statement in which he addresses the allegations made by his former assistant, whom he refers to as “plaintiff,” whereas all legal filings refer to her as Jane Doe. The lawsuit in which Schrader was accused of sexual misconduct indicates that he “exposed himself” to her, and between 2021 and 2024, she was the subject of a “sexually hostile, intimidating, and humiliating environment.” Although the legal proceedings were about to be settled out of court, Schrader backed off. Instead, he has released his own version of the story, and what follows is a summary of his statement:
“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.”
Related
Paul Schrader Has No Plans to Collaborate with Martin Scorsese Again
Despite remaining friends after all these years, Paul Schrader doesn’t think he and Martin Scorsese will be collaborating on a project anytime soon.
Schrader’s statement has been addressed to his friends and colleagues, and it also mentions that Jane Doe is not accusing him of sexual harassment, but of refusing to sign the agreement. He also mentions that, even though they never had sex, they did kiss on a couple of occasions. According to the writer, when things got awkward, it all stopped. But during the time when she worked for him, she never mentioned feeling distressed by his presence. Meanwhile, in the original report, it was alleged that he sent her emails addressing his “unwelcome and offensive” actions. Read the rest of Schrader’s statement:
“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 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.”
What Other Movies Is Paul Schrader Known For?
Paul Schrader’s body of work speaks for itself. Besides his groundbreaking work on Taxi Driver and other Martin Scorsese movies like Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ and Bringing Out the Dead, Schrader has also written and directed films like American Gigolo, Hardcore, First Reformed and The Card Counter. In 2019, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in First Reformed.
Even though he has decided to officially defend himself against accusations in court, there’s no doubt that this might put his career in jeopardy. This is a reality that all celebrities face nowadays, regardless of their guilt, political views, or beliefs. Schrader could prove himself to be innocent of any wrongdoing, but he could also be forced to take a step back from making any movies in the near future.
Note: If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
Source: Variety
Taxi Driver
- Release Date
-
February 9, 1976
- Runtime
-
114 Minutes
- Director
-
Martin Scorsese
- Writers
-
Paul Schrader