Michael Douglas Accused of Sexual Harassment Following Preemptive Denial
A week after issuing a preemptive denial about forthcoming allegations, Michael Douglas has been accused of sexual harassment by journalist and author Susan Braudy.
Douglas gave Deadline an interview to "get ahead" of the story, which has now been published by the Hollywood Reporter. The article details how Douglas used profane language, made sexually-charged comments about Braudy and his mistresses, and masturbated in front of her when she worked for his production company in the late '80s.
In one detailed anecdote, Braudy described a script meeting in his apartment to brainstorm an E.T.-like character:
Michael unzipped his chinos and I registered something amiss. Still complimenting my additions to our E.T. imitation, his voice lowered at least half an octave. I peered at him and saw he'd inserted both hands into his unzipped pants. I realized to my horror that he was rubbing his private parts. Within seconds his voice cracked and it appeared to me he'd had an orgasm
Braudy kept notes, journals, and other records of the alleged harassment.
In the Deadline interview last week, Douglas came forward to discuss the claims before Braudy had made them. He admitted to using "colorful language," but completely denied the script meeting incident as "a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever."
"I'm bewildered why, after 32 years, this is coming out, now," he said.
He and his team have chalked it up to Braudy's disgruntlement over being fired from the production company.
But Braudy fired back, "I believe this is part of the problem, as is his pretext of victimization. These are some reasons why so many women don't come forward with their stories — Lord knows it's taken 30 years and a movement for me to gather my courage."