Hollywood sexual scandal widens with new allegations
The sexual harassment crisis in Hollywood is widening as another prominent film director has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct, according to a report.
Six women, including actress Olivia Munn, have so far come forward alleging that Brett Ratner have sexually harassed or assaulted them in private homes, at industry events and on movie sets, The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday.
Ratner’s attorney, Martin Singer, denied the allegations.
"Brett Ratner vehemently denies the outrageous derogatory allegations that have been reported about him, and we are confident that his name will be cleared once the current media frenzy dies down and people can objectively evaluate the nature of these claims," Singer said in a statement to CNN.
"He understands the seriousness of this issue and the importance of addressing the concerns of victims of sexual misconduct both in the entertainment industry and beyond."
Actress Natasha Henstridge shared a story of an alleged incident where Ratner sexually assaulted her.
"He strong-armed me in a real way. He physically forced himself on me," she said. "At some point, I gave in.”
The reverberations also hit Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman who had to apologize for allegedly sexually harassing a 17-year-old intern in 1985.
Writer Anna Graham Hunter claimed in column published Wednesday by The Hollywood Reporter that Hoffman, now 80, groped her on the set of a TV movie.
Hoffman issued a statement, apologizing for "anything I might have done could have put her in an uncomfortable situation. I am sorry. It is not reflective of who I am."
The new allegations came days after renowned actor Kevin Spacey admitted to sexual misconduct. Actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making sexual advances on him more than 30 years ago.
The widening scandal was set in motion when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Hollywood’s de facto governing body, expelled disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein last month amid mounting accusations of sexual harassment, assault and rape by dozens of women.
The ouster was unprecedented since the academy was founded 90 years ago, turning one of the biggest Oscar players in history into a Hollywood pariah.
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