HAGGIS ACCUSED OF SEX ABUSE
NEW YORK: Oscar-winning Canadian filmmaker Paul Haggis is accused of sexual abuse by four women, according to an amended civil suit filed here on Friday.
Haggis, who wrote and produced Crash, and penned the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby, is also known for his high-profile split almost a decade ago from the Church of Scientology.
The allegations against him are the latest in a torrent of accusations made against powerful men that began with the fall of film mogul Harvey Weinstein in October.
Three women alleging to be victims of Haggis’s abuse are referred to in the amended suit, which was initially filed on Dec 15 by film publicist Haleigh Breest.
She accused Haggis of abusing and raping her in January 2013 when she was 26.
On the same day, Haggis, 64, filed his own action against Breest, denying the accusation and accusing her of seeking “to extract many millions of dollars” from him.
Breest’s suit said since she filed her claim, “three other women have accused Haggis of rape and sexual abuse”.
The first woman, a publicist who worked with Haggis on a television programme, alleged that in 1996, he forcefully kissed her before making her perform oral sex, and then raping her. Another woman, who wanted to propose an idea for a show, alleged that she had to flee from his office in 2008 when he kissed her by force.
The third woman, whom Haggis met at a film festival, said she was abused in 2015 when he tried to kiss her. AFP