I am not a sexual harasser.. these lies have upset my kids
HOLLYWOOD SEX SCANDAL WALL STREET STAR ACCUSED
MOVIE star Michael Douglas yesterday spoke out to deny accusations he sexually harassed a woman 32 years ago.
The actor – the latest celeb implicated in the Hollywood sex scandal – described allegations that he performed a sex act in front of an employee of his production company as a “complete nightmare”.
Douglas, who is being supported by his Welsh wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, took the unusual step of speaking out before the claims were published.
It came after his lawyer was contacted for a response to the allegations being made in movie trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter.
The 73-year-old said he “felt the need to get ahead” of the “cautionary tale” after it left his children fearing their dad would be labelled a sexual harasser.
Douglas – star of Wall Street, Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct – has been accused by a blogger who worked for him around 32 years ago of masturbating in front of her and using “colourful language” while she was in his presence.
She also said he “blackballed” her from getting further work in the industry after she left his employment.
Douglas, who said he was now “fearful” of losing work, revealed he was approached about the claims just before Christmas – on the same day his son Dylan, 17, was accepted to college.
“When we were all ecstatic... [then] I got a message from my attorney that The Hollywood Reporter wanted to do a story about an employee that worked for me approximately 32 years ago,” Douglas said.
“She claims that, one, I used colourful language in front of her, not at her, but that I used colourful language.
“Two, she claims that in conversations I had in front of her, on the phone, that I spoke raunchily, or dirtily with friends of mine, in private conversations.
“Three, she claims that I blackballed her from the industry and stopped her from getting another job.
“And then four, she claims that I masturbated in front of her.”
He added: “I don’t know where to begin. This is a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever.”
Around the time, the dad of three had been producing and filming for the 1985 action romance The Jewel of the Nile.
He said that, throughout his career, he has prided himself on keeping a good reputation in the business. “It’s extremely painful,” Douglas went on. “I don’t have skeletons in my closet or anyone else who’s coming out or saying this.
“The part that hurt the worst is having to share something like this to your wife and your children.
“My kids are really upset... have to go to school worrying this is going to be in some article about me, being a sexual harasser. They’re scared and very uncomfortable.”
Douglas said of the woman: “She was
a lady who was involved in development at my company, and we just didn’t have a good development record in the time she was there, so I just moved on.
“The woman, it turns out, is a blogger... she has mentioned my name sometimes in her blogs. Nothing terrible.
“It leads me to believe she either has or is trying to get a book deal. I can’t believe that someone would cause someone else pain like this.
“Maybe she is disgruntled her career didn’t go the way she hoped and she is holding this grudge. It has caused tremendous stress to me for something I believe I have nothing to regret or feel responsible for.
“I’m certainly regretful if she was offended by the language in the 80s. But this other thing, she would not be getting a story in a trade paper with these other issues. The one she raises, is the reason for that story.”
Douglas was referring to the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed Hollywood, with accusations made against stars including Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey and movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Double Oscar winner Douglas said he supported the “MeToo” movement, which was launched to empower women who had suffered sexual abuse into speaking out and that he was proud of his work with the opposite sex.
He added: “My reasons are personal in coming forward. But I’m going to continue the way I’ve always treated women – as equals and my peers.
“Working closely with them. I would hope that, as a cautionary tale, we will be careful about accusing and being accused.”
Douglas has been married to Zeta-Jones, 48, since 2000. They have two children, Dylan and Carys, 14.
Douglas also has another son, Cameron, 39, from his first marriage to Diandra Luker. They divorced in 2000 after 23 years.
I don’t have skeletons in my closest.. or anyone else who’s coming out saying this DOUGLAS