Paul Schrader, the acclaimed writer of Taxi Driver and director of American Gigolo and First Reformed, is facing serious allegations in a lawsuit filed by his former personal assistant.
The assistant, referred to as Jane Doe in court documents, accuses Schrader of sexually assaulting her, firing her after she rejected his advances, and then breaching a confidential settlement meant to resolve the matter.
The lawsuit, filed late last week in New York, claims that Schrader, 78, sexually assaulted Doe, 26, during their time working together from 2021 to 2024. One of the key allegations includes an incident at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, where Schrader allegedly trapped Doe in his hotel room, kissed her against her will, and later exposed himself to her. The suit also details a pattern of unwanted advances, including phone calls and angry text messages after Doe rejected Schrader’s advances.
In February 2024, a confidential settlement agreement was reached between the two parties, but Schrader later backed out, citing illness and a change of heart. Doe is now seeking to enforce the agreement in court.
Schrader’s lawyer, Philip J. Kessler, has strongly denied the accusations, calling the lawsuit “desperate, opportunistic, and frivolous.” Kessler asserts that there was never a sexual relationship between Schrader and his former assistant, and he refutes the claims made in the lawsuit.
The case has drawn attention not only for the accusations against Schrader but also due to the timing of the events, with Doe’s claims following a high-profile year for Schrader, including the release of his film *Oh, Canada*.
