Paul Schrader Accused of Sexually Harassing Assistant and Reneging on Settlement

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In a court document, Paul Schrader, known for writing “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull,” is facing allegations that he sexually harassed his ex-assistant and reneged on a promise to provide a settlement payment.

26-year-old woman, known as Jane Doe, claims that Schrader forcibly kissed her without consent during last year’s Cannes Film Festival premiere of his movie “Oh, Canada.” She asserts that she resisted and managed to escape the room after the unwanted advance.

Three days after, she asserts that Schrader, aged 78, called her to his hotel room under the pretense of being “on his deathbed,” and subsequently revealed his private parts to her.

The legal team for the woman claims that during negotiations, Schrader’s lawyers consented to a financial settlement. However, after some self-reflection, Schrader reportedly reneged on this agreement. They have since filed a petition in a New York state court to uphold the terms of the contract and to recover their legal fees and expenses.

Lawyer Philip Kessler for Schrader stated on Friday that as Schrader didn’t put his signature on the agreement, it can’t be legally implemented.

“We regard this breach of contract claim as desperate, opportunistic and frivolous,” he said.

Kessler further claimed that the account detailing the harassment accusations was filled with untruths and misleading statements. He explained that during their nearly four-year professional collaboration, the assistant often attended dinners and festivals with Schrader.

On no occasion did the plaintiff show anything but eagerness towards working with Mr. Schrader, as stated by Kessler.

Additionally, he mentioned that the female individual had expressed positive opinions about Schrader on various social platforms, and these posts were taken down approximately when her legal team delivered their first request letter.

According to the documents she submitted, the woman claims that Schrader frequently expressed his affection for her and his wish to physically interact with her, not only through spoken words but also in written form. The court document includes excerpts from emails that he supposedly sent to her.

In May 2023, as stated in the court documents, he expressed that he suspected you were uneasy with his affection towards you. At times, it seems to him (not today) that you are frightened by the idea of him physically approaching you… The mere thought of you being afraid of any physical contact from him is unsettling for him.

During her time at work, she claims she was subjected to almost continuous inappropriate sexual remarks and disrespectful, sexist comments.

During her employment, she asserts that she faced frequent inappropriate sexual queries and offensive, misogynistic banter.

Or even shorter:

She alleges that during work, she had to deal with constant lewd remarks and sexist commentary.

It’s claimed that she was dismissed in September due to her rejection of Schrader’s advances. Later on, negotiations were made between her lawyers and Schrader, leading to a settlement where Schrader paid a confidential amount to address her accusations.

Instead, it’s been claimed that Schrader postponed the signing of the agreement. It’s further alleged that after a prolonged period, his lawyers asserted that Schrader was unwell and subsequently declared that he felt morally unable to proceed with the agreement due to personal reasons.

The woman’s attorneys allege that the agreement was nevertheless binding.

The “First Reformed” director was awarded a Venice Golden Lion for career achievement in 2022.

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2025-04-05 03:16