Brett Ratner Sues, Kevin Spacey Gets Help

As more Spacey accusers come forward
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 2, 2017 7:43 AM CDT
Brett Ratner Sues, Kevin Spacey Gets Help
Kevin Spacey arrives at the 71st annual Tony Awards in New York on June 11, 2017.   (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Brett Ratner is responding to at least one of his accusers … with a libel lawsuit. In the suit filed Wednesday in Hawaii, the director says an Oct. 20 Facebook post in which a Hawaii woman claimed Ratner raped her is "entirely false, fabricated, and fictional." He says Melanie Kohler "maliciously" aimed to ruin his reputation when she wrote 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," per Deadline. Ratner also released a statement Wednesday announcing he is "choosing to personally step away from all Warner Bros.-related activities" because "I don't want to have any possible negative impact to the studio until these personal issues are resolved."

Meanwhile, another Hollywood heavyweight hit with sexual misconduct allegations is getting help, per Deadline. Kevin Spacey will "seek evaluation and treatment," a rep said Wednesday, without elaborating. Anthony Rapp was first to accuse Spacey of misconduct, alleging the then-26-year-old made sexual advances toward Rapp when he was 14. Others have since shared similar stories. On Tuesday, film director Tony Montana told Radar that Spacey "put his hand on my crotch forcefully and grabbed my whole package" at a bar in 2003, then followed him into a bathroom. Spacey also allegedly exposed himself to a male bartender at an English hotel in 2010, reports the Sun. The man says Spacey afterward offered his $6,500 watch, apparently "to keep me quiet." (More sexual misconduct stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X