English comedian and actor Russell Brand faces a US civil lawsuit for sexually assaulting an extra on the set of the 2011 rom-com film Arthur. The lawsuit which was brought in a state court under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, alleges that the 48-year-old actor “appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol, and was carrying a bottle of vodka on set” and exposed his genitalia to the accuser, referred to as Jane Doe. It further states that he sat at a table staring at her, “openly and obviously in the presence of everyone on set,” as per the Guardian.
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The affidavit also adds that Brand later entered the bathroom and assaulted her as “a member of production crew guarded the door from outside.” He allegedly pulled his pants down and forced her to perform oral sex on him. As per the lawsuit, this assault has left Jane Doe with extreme embarrassment and has caused her “severe psychological injuries.” In the aftermath of the assault which took place in July 2010, the accuser is in deep shame and finds it difficult to trust people. She fears being “blacklisted in the industry,” as she still works as an actor, thus, is refraining from revealing her identity.
Jane Doe is now seeking unspecified damages from Brand on charges of assault, battery, false imprisonment, and infliction of emotional distress, as per the lawsuit. The companies involved in the production of the film, including Warner Bros Pictures, are named as defendants. As per the affidavit, the woman was only paid for a single day of work despite being booked for three days. Following the assault, she was not brought back for work. So far, Brand has not made any comments on the lawsuit.
The Rock of Ages actor recently made headlines after four women accused him of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse in a joint investigation by the British media, as per BBC. According to the four women, Brand allegedly assaulted them in the UK and Los Angeles between 2006 and 2013. Following the series of allegations, Brand released a video denying the accusations. He also said that his relationships were “always consensual.”
