Paul Schrader Addresses Sexual Assault Allegations in Open Letter

Los Angeles, April 8 (NationPress) Hollywood screenwriter Paul Schrader has responded to allegations of sexual assault in an open letter directed at his friends and colleagues.

The allegations were made by his 26-year-old former assistant, who asserts that her claims could not be “further from the truth,” as reported by Variety.

On April 3, Schrader’s former assistant, identified as Jane Doe, claimed in a legal document that the “Taxi Driver” screenwriter had sexually assaulted her on several occasions.

According to Variety, one alleged incident reportedly took place shortly after last year’s “Oh, Canada” premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where she alleges that Schrader exposed his genitalia to her in his hotel room.

She also mentioned that Schrader's lawyer had initially agreed to a financial settlement following the alleged misconduct, but after some “soul searching,” he withdrew from the agreement. Subsequently, Jane Doe's legal team filed a motion in a New York state court to enforce the settlement and recover legal costs.

In response to the allegations, Schrader sent out a letter on Monday. He stated that it is “important” for the public to “hear from me directly” regarding the accusations, which he describes as “false and misleading.”

The letter states, “Out of nowhere, in the fall of last year, a lawyer I had never met, representing my former assistant, sent me a letter demanding that I pay her millions or she would publicly disclose sensational, false, and misleading accusations about our relationship and my behavior through a lawsuit.”

He clarified that he felt “legally justified” in withdrawing from the settlement, which he believes “would not be valid unless both the Plaintiff and I signed it.” Schrader then elaborated on the most “physically ‘intimate’ moments” he shared with his former assistant, claiming they exchanged “two kisses on the lips.”

He emphasized that they “never engaged in sexual activities.” “The first kiss occurred in December 2023 at a bar in New York after we had both been drinking. She continued to work closely with me afterward and did not convey to me that she was uncomfortable with the kiss, let alone that she wished to alter or terminate our relationship,” Schrader stated.

He further recounted, “The second kiss happened in May 2024 at Cannes, where she joined me for the premiere of my latest film. Once again, after we had been drinking, I kissed her. This time she expressed her discontent. I did not attempt to kiss her again and I apologized. Even after Cannes, the Plaintiff clearly expressed her desire to continue working, dining, and traveling with me.”

Schrader concluded his letter by acknowledging that he will likely be “presumed guilty” in the current climate surrounding sexual assault in Hollywood but remains confident that the court will “recognize the truth” if the case goes to trial.

“I have nothing to conceal regarding my behavior, and that includes my choice not to succumb to the pressure from my former assistant’s threat to make her sensational accusations public,” he noted.