Posted by April MacIntyre Jul 31, 2010, 17:46 GMT
The news is not good for Casey Affleck, who is now the recipient of a second lawsuit alleging he sexually harassed a female crew member of his documentary starring brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix.
Summer Phoenix (L) and Casey Affleck attend a screening of 'The Killer Inside Me' during the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival in New York, USA, 27 April 2010. EPA/PETER FOLEY
The Hollywood Reporter writes that the film's DP was sleeping when Affleck allegedly crawled into her bed and molested her.
In a $2.25 million lawsuit filed Los Angeles Superior Court, cinematographer Magdalena Gorka says Affleck not only sexually harassed her but he also refused to pay or credit her when the alleged abuse forced her to leave the project.
This shock revelation is on the heels of another separate lawsuit enacted by Amanda White, a producer who allegedly refused advances of Affleck, and allegedly refused his invitation to sleep in a hotel room with him.
Affleck attorney Marty Singer gave a statement to THR denying the allegations saying that White "continuously used different threats and outrageous demands in order to request compensation she was not legally entitled to receive."
From THR:
"According to the new Gorka lawsuit, when production on "I'm Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix" began in New York in mid-December, she was the only woman on the team. Phoenix and Affleck, who is married to Phoenix's sister, decided that the crew would stay at Phoenix's apartment instead of at a hotel. Phoenix allegedly told Gorka she could sleep in his bedroom and he would sleep on the couch.
"During the middle of the night, [Gorka] awoke to find Affleck lying in the bed next to her," the lawsuit alleges. "Unbeknownst to [Gorka], Affleck had entered the bedroom while she was asleep and crawled into the bed. When she woke up, Affleck was curled up next to her in the bed wearing only his underwear and a t-shirt. He had his arm around her, was caressing her back, his face was within inches of hers and his breath reeked of alcohol."
Gorka continues her statement unnerved by not knowing how long Affleck allegedly had been doing this to her in her own bed. Gorka claims to have demanded Affleck leave her room, and when asked why by Affleck, she claims to have said, "because you are married and because you are my boss."
According to the papers, Gorka left the project the next day, but she claims Affleck's alleged harassment still did not end.
"But the lawsuit says the abuse continued. "[Gorka] was berated and verbally attacked by Affleck after she refused his sexual advances in New York, and was criticized constantly for refusing to be submissive in response to his rants and derisive comments," the complaint says."
Gorka ultimately left the project, and was removed from the credits of the film.
She is contending that Affleck also owes her unpaid salary from her work on the film.
"In her 16 years of working in the entertainment industry she has never accused anyone of sexual harassment," Gorka's attorney tells THR. "Ms. Gorka knows there will be repercussions, and that she will be exposed to attacks mounted by Affleck's high-paid publicists and 'bulldog' attorneys. She ultimately decided that the truth needs to come out. We look forward to our day in court."
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