Russell Brand accused of sexual assault on the set of 2011's 'Arthur' in new lawsuit
Paul Hackett / Reuters
- An actress claims she was assaulted by English comedian Russell Brand in 2010.
- The unnamed woman's lawsuit says he exposed himself and assaulted her on the set of "Arthur."
- Four women accused Brand of sexual abuse and rape in a news story earlier this year.
Russell Brand, the English comedian who has courted controversy for his whole career, was accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed in New York on Friday.
The lawsuit was filed by a woman using the alias "Jane Doe" who said she was an extra in 2010 on the set of the film "Arthur." She wants the court's permission to sue anonymously, as she says she is still in the entertainment industry and fears being blackballed.
The lawsuit comes six weeks after Brand was accused of sexual assault and rape by four women, according to British media accounts.
According to an affidavit filed by Doe, Brand "appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol, and was carrying a bottle of vodka on set" before the assault. He also exposed his penis to the woman "in full view of the cast and crew," her affidavit claims.
"The sexual assault happened later that same day when I was in the bathroom," the affidavit continued. "Mr. Brand entered after me and assaulted me, as a member of the production crew guarded the door from outside."
Brand and his representatives didn't immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. He has previously denied having engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior, saying that he has in the past been "very, very promiscuous" but all his relationships have been "consensual."
Brand publicly celebrated 20 years of sobriety from drugs and alcohol in 2022, Additionally, New York Magazine reported in a 2011 story about Brand tied to the release of "Arthur" that Brand had been sober for eight years.
The action was brought under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which extended the window for people who claim they were victims of sex abuse as adults to sue their alleged abusers. The woman's lawyer, Jordan Merson, wasn't immediately available for an interview, according to a person who answered the phone at his office.
Other defendants in the lawsuit include Warner Brothers, which produced the movie. Media contacts for the company didn't immediately respond to an email.