Thursday, March 28, 2024

Brett Ratner Sues Sexual Assault Accuser of Libel; Kevin Spacey to Seek ‘Treatment’

Brett Ratner (L) and Kevin Spacey
Brett Ratner (L) and Kevin Spacey

*Two of the latest industry heavyweights to be accused of past sexual assault are dealing with the allegations in vastly different manners.

Brett Ratner is firing back against a woman who accused him of raping her more than a decade ago by suing her for libel, while actor Kevin Spacey is dealing with his allegations of sexual assault against a 14-year-old boy by getting professional help.

Six women, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, accused Ratner in an explosive Wednesday report in the Los Angeles Times of either sexual assault or harassment.

Melanie Kohler, who is not quoted in the piece, claimed on Facebook that Ratner raped her more than a decade ago. Ratner on Wednesday filed a complaint in Hawaii federal court against Kohler denying the allegations and categorizing the social media post as libel per se, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

According to the suit, Kohler wrote an Oct. 20 post stating that Ratner “was a rapist on at least one night in Hollywood about 12 years ago” and “preyed on me as a drunk girl [and] forced himself upon me.”

Ratner’s Hawaii counsel Eric Seitz argues the statements are entirely false, fabricated and fictional and that Kohler published them maliciously. Ratner is seeking an unspecified amount of general, special and punitive damages, and claims he’s suffered emotional distress, worry, anger and anxiety and his personal and professional reputations have been injured.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ratner and Warner Bros., where Ratner had a first-look deal, announced they were parting ways. “In light of the allegations being made, I am choosing to personally step away from all Warner Bros.-related activities,” Ratner said in a statement. “I don’t want to have any possible negative impact to the studio until these personal issues are resolved.”

Shortly after Ratner’s statement, Warner Bros. announced they would not renew Ratner’s first-look deal, which had since expired. Moreover, Ratner will lose his plum RatPac Entertainment offices, which he was renting on the studio lot and were once used by Frank Sinatra.

As for Spacey, the former “House of Cards” star is seeking “evaluation and treatment” in the wake of multiple sexual misconduct allegations.

Spacey was accused on Sunday of making sexual advances toward actor Anthony Rapp when he was 14-years-old, and in the days since has been accused by more actors of acting inappropriately.

“Kevin Spacey is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment. No other information is available at this time,” Spacey’s rep said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

Spacey immediately offered his “sincerest apology” to Rapp via Twitter and used his statement on the matter to come out as a gay man for the first time. The latter move was criticized by many in Hollywood as well as GLAAD, who accused Spacey of using his coming out as a way to “deflect from allegations of sexual assault.”

The allegations have also affected Spacey’s professional projects. Production on the sixth and final season of Netflix’s “House of Cards,” in which Spacey is the star and executive producer, has been suspended indefinitely following the sexual harassment claim.

Also on Monday, the International TV Academy announced it was revoking a planned honor Spacey was set to receive in light of the allegations. Online education provider MasterClass closed enrollment on its Spacey course and it is likely the backlash will make it difficult for the actor to promote his upcoming Sony film “All the Money in the World.”

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