Paul Schrader, the mastermind behind cinematic classics such as "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," "American Gigolo," and "Affliction," has been enveloped in controversy, accused of sexually harassing his former assistant and subsequently backing away from settlement agreements. On Thursday, a lawsuit was filed in New York by a 26-year-old woman, identified pseudonymously as Jane Doe, detailing an alleged sexual assault perpetrated by Schrader during last year's Cannes Film Festival. According to the suit, Schrader lured Jane Doe into a hotel room, where he forcibly grabbed and kissed her despite her verbal protests, all while promoting his latest film, "Oh, Canada."
The woman, who had worked for Schrader from May 2021 until September 2024, managed to wrestle herself free and flee the hotel room. Three days later, she found herself compelled to return to Schrader's hotel room after being bombarded with numerous calls and angry text messages, in which Schrader claimed he was dying and unable to pack his own bags. Upon opening the door, she was allegedly confronted by Schrader, who stood there wearing nothing but an open bathrobe, with his penis fully exposed.
Jane Doe alleges that she packed Schrader's bags in terrified silence, escaping from the hotel room as swiftly as her trembling hands allowed. The lawsuit further asserts that Schrader acknowledged in writing that his conduct was unwanted and offensive towards his former assistant, yet he persisted in harassing and forcibly touching her. Included in the complaint are emails allegedly sent by Schrader to Jane Doe, one dated May 22, 2023, stating, "I sense you are uncomfortable with my affection for you."
After reportedly rejecting Schrader's sexual advances, Jane Doe claims she was retaliated against and terminated from her employment in September 2024. Two days later, Schrader allegedly sent his former assistant an email, acknowledging 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."
Following this, Jane Doe sought legal counsel, and their attorneys agreed on a settlement requiring Schrader to pay a confidential amount to resolve her allegations. However, Schrader allegedly delayed signing the agreement and, after several weeks, purportedly decided that he could not live with himself if he accepted the settlement, repudiating the binding agreement.
Philip Kessler, Schrader's attorney, told The Hollywood Reporter on Friday that the lawsuit is a "desperate, opportunistic, and frivolous attempt to enforce a settlement that Schrader never signed." Kessler contends that the accusations mentioned in the suit are "in many respects inaccurate, in other respects materially misleading and exaggerated." He asserts, "Mr. Schrader never had sex with his former assistant. He never tried to have sex with his former assistant. The circumstances surrounding these allegations will be proven to have been grossly exaggerated beyond reality." He added, "We intend to vigorously defend this case."
