Robert De Niro turned upset in courtroom on Monday throughout the trial initiated by his former worker, who has accused the actor of gender discrimination and office retaliation.
Graham Chase Robinson sued De Niro and his firm, Canal Productions, in July 2021. Her unique grievance sought US$12 million (over C$16.5 million) in damages for extreme emotional misery and reputational hurt, in keeping with quite a few stories.
The lawsuit was filed after Robinson, Canal’s former vice-president of manufacturing and finance, was sued by De Niro and the corporate in 2019 for alleged abuse of firm bank cards and time theft.
Actor Robert De Niro arrives at federal courtroom on Oct. 30, 2023, in New York Metropolis.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Pictures
De Niro, 80, took the stand Monday as the primary witness within the New York-based trial. Journalists current within the courtroom mentioned De Niro appeared “grumpy” and denied all allegations towards him. At one level, De Niro spoke out of flip and insisted Robinson’s claims have been “nonsense.”
Graham Chase Robinson departs federal courtroom on Oct. 30, 2023, in New York Metropolis.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Pictures
In her submitting, Robinson accused De Niro of constructing “vulgar, inappropriate and gendered feedback” to her throughout her employment. She additionally claimed to have been underpaid, overworked and made to do gendered duties resembling laundry, regardless of being in an govt place. Robinson alleged that De Niro usually known as her names and made generalized, sexist remarks about girls.
Robinson moreover claimed De Niro’s girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, pushed her to stop working for the Oscar winner as a result of she was jealous of their skilled relationship. Although Robinson’s authorized crew has argued she was a devoted and distinctive worker, De Niro scoffed on the suggestion throughout his testimony.
When requested if he felt she was a conscientious worker, De Niro replied, “Not after every thing I’m going by means of now.”
The Related Press reported De Niro raised his voice twice throughout his testimony — and was requested by the choose to talk extra quietly and slowly.
The primary occasion wherein De Niro’s mood seemingly flared got here in defence of Chen, whom De Niro mentioned he makes his enterprise choices with. All through Monday’s courtroom session, the jury was proven emails from Chen to De Niro wherein she seemingly complained about Robinson. The Hollywood Reporter mentioned that in a single electronic mail Chen referred to Robinson and allegedly wrote: “This b—h must be put in her f–king place.”
Additional correspondence between Chen and De Niro alleged Chen was suspicious of Robinson and felt she had a type of “imaginary intimacy” with the actor. De Niro didn’t deny this and testified that Chen “could have been proper” to be suspicious.
Robinson’s legal professionals argued she was by no means romantically fascinated with De Niro.
De Niro additionally appeared to develop irritable whereas discussing an incident that noticed Robinson deliver the actor to the hospital in 2017. After falling down a flight of stairs, De Niro mentioned he “cracked his again” round 1 or 2 a.m., then known as Robinson to deliver him to the hospital about three hours later.
Robinson’s legal professionals used the incident for example of the kind of duties she was allegedly made to do for De Niro, usually past work hours.
“I requested her to do something inside cause — throughout the confines of her job,” De Niro mentioned, in keeping with Deadline.
These duties, De Niro mentioned, commonly included schedule upkeep, making journey preparations and shopping for items for De Niro’s family members.
“It’s not like I’m telling her to exit and scrape flooring, mop flooring,” De Niro mentioned.
Robinson was employed by De Niro from 2008 to 2019. Her annual wage within the VP function at Canal Productions was round US$300,000 (about C$416,500), The Related Press reported.
Robinson claimed De Niro refused to offer an employer reference after she stop her job at Canal Productions.
Within the De Niro and Canal Productions lawsuit towards Robinson, the corporate alleges she charged a big quantity of non-public bills to her firm card and transferred 5 million Delta SkyMiles to her personal account. The go well with additionally claims Robinson watched “astounding hours of TV reveals” whereas at her job.
Previous to being handed the VP function, Robinson was an assistant to De Niro. He testified that regardless of the title change — which he mentioned she was “pushy” about receiving — her assistant tasks had not modified, simply the job title.
The trial is anticipated to final for 2 weeks till Nov. 10.
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