Another woman files a sexual harassment suit against Casey Affleck

NEW YORK - APRIL 27: Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck attends the premiere of 'The Killer Inside Me' during the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival at the School of Visual Arts Theater on April 27, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
For the first sexual harassment lawsuit against Casey Affleck, filed by a woman who claims to be an uncredited producer on the Joaquin Phoenix documentary, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and consider that it could be a case of professional differences. The woman claimed that Affleck failed to pay her the $50,000 fee they verbally agreed on, and it’s possible the sexual harassment allegations were thrown in there for leverage. There were also stipulations that the lawsuit was filed for publicity ahead of the film. After all, the whole construct of the “documentary” (Hollywood star goes crazy and embarks on an ill advised rap career) seemed like a put on. Given how well Joaquin has since “recovered,” it’s up to question whether his breakdown was legitimate or some kind of stupid social experiment, especially considering that a film was made out of it.

Now another lawsuit has been filed against Casey by a female collaborator on the film who also claims to have been accosted for sex, subjected to verbal abuse and ultimately gone without pay. The whole scenario sounds just like the last woman alleged in her lawsuit and like a pattern of disgusting behavior by Casey. Here’s more, including the allegation that Casey crawled drunk into bed with her. She left the project the next day, only to return when another woman was hired and to be subjected to the same ongoing harassment (allegedly):

According to the new Gorka lawsuit, when production on “I’m Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix” began in New York in mid-December, she was the only woman on the team. Phoenix and Affleck, who is married to Phoenix’s sister, decided that the crew would stay at Phoenix’s apartment instead of at a hotel. Phoenix allegedly told Gorka she could sleep in his bedroom and he would sleep on the couch.

“During the middle of the night, [Gorka] awoke to find Affleck lying in the bed next to her,” the lawsuit alleges. “Unbeknownst to [Gorka], Affleck had entered the bedroom while she was asleep and crawled into the bed. When she woke up, Affleck was curled up next to her in the bed wearing only his underwear and a t-shirt. He had his arm around her, was caressing her back, his face was within inches of hers and his breath reeked of alcohol.”

Gorka says she was shocked because she didn’t know how long Affleck had been there or where she had been touched. She says she immediately told him to get out of bed. “Affleck responded by asking ‘Why?,'” according to the lawsuit. “[Gorka] said ‘because you are married and because you are my boss.’ Affleck, undeterred, asked if [Gorka] ‘was sure.’ [Gorka] said she was sure and insisted that he leave the room. He left and slammed the door in anger.”

According to the complaint, Gorka confronted Affleck the morning after the incident, then got on a plane for Los Angeles, consulted with her agent and left the project. Unable to find work, however, she says she returned several weeks later once a female producer, White, had joined the project and assured her she would be present.

But the lawsuit says the abuse continued. “[Gorka] was berated and verbally attacked by Affleck after she refused his sexual advances in New York, and was criticized constantly for refusing to be submissive in response to his rants and derisive comments,” the complaint says.

Gorka says she ultimately left the project again, after which Affleck allegedly refused to honor their oral agreement that she would be paid a $300 per-day fee and a deferred $700-a-day fee when the film sold to a distributor (Magnolia bought the film in July and plans to release it in the fall). She says she’s also been stripped of her “director of photography” credit…

Reached for comment, Gorka attorney Brian Procel says the decision to file the lawsuit was not easy for his client.

“In her 16 years of working in the entertainment industry she has never accused anyone of sexual harassment,” Procel says. “Ms. Gorka knows there will be repercussions, and that she will be exposed to attacks mounted by Affleck’s high-paid publicists and ‘bulldog’ attorneys. She ultimately decided that the truth needs to come out. We look forward to our day in court.”

The Gorka complaint alleges causes of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress, constructive discharge in violation of public policy, breach of oral contract, negligent infliction of emotional distress, unjust enrichment and negligence.

Gorka is represented by Procel, Skip Miller and Mira Hashmall at L.A.’s Miller Barondess firm, which also represents White. Defendants are Affleck and Flemmy Prods.

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

I like how the lawyer explains that his client will be similarly attacked by Casey’s people and that she filed the lawsuit despite that. It all sounds so seedy and typical, and while I don’t know much about Casey I never had the impression he was like that. I wonder what he’s telling his wife and if he’s trying to portray it as a case of sour grapes. For the first incident that might be believable, but now that another co-worker is suing him it’s not looking good.

NEW YORK - APRIL 27: (L-R) Summer Phoenix and actor Casey Affleck attends the premiere of 'The Killer Inside Me' during the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival at the School of Visual Arts Theater on April 27, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MARCH 27: Actor Casey Affleck speaks onstage during American Cinematheque 24th Annual Award Presentation To Matt Damon at The Beverly Hilton hotel on March 27, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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34 Responses to “Another woman files a sexual harassment suit against Casey Affleck”

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  1. lisa says:

    I like Casey.. don’t know much about him. But why is this shit not plastered all over the media. YET fake and false stories about other celebs are.

    Funny how the media misses all the real drama while they chase all those fake news items.

  2. Schozzle says:

    “I don’t know much about Casey I never had the impression he was like that.”

    Hate to break it to you, but he’s been known as a creeper for a while now. I’m surprised stuff like this took so long to pop up.

  3. Kitten says:

    Wow, if this is true then that really sucks because I was definitely a fan prior to this. Curious that both allegations came out in relation to this film because I never heard anything about him being such a sleazy douche before this.
    EDIT:@ Schozzle-Really? Never heard that..bummer..

  4. carrie says:

    @Schozzle:”he’s been known as a creeper for a while now” :when? where? where are the older stories?

  5. snowball says:

    It’s six of one, half dozen of the other, but..

    I think each woman coming forward means every other woman it’s happened to will believe it’s safer to come forward. I think the women’s stories sound awfully, awfully believable. These two are skeevy.

    It can’t be easy to get messed with by an Affleck and a Pheonix and wonder if you’re going to get believed by people in general, even if the Pheonix in question is a freakadoo.

  6. Lenore says:

    Lisa – maybe Casey’s just not famous enough? Maybe the woman suing him isn’t either?

    It is puzzling. It seems like this should be a much bigger deal than, say, whether Angelina is trying to raise her infant girl as a butch lesbian motorcyclist or whatever the latest clutch-your-pearls-Grandmamma “scandal” is.

    Maybe it’s just that most tabloid editors will hear about this and go, “Well, you slept over in his brother-in-law’s bed; you were filming a guy getting shat on; you already sound like a slut to me! Shut up and take it, lady”. A lot of people still don’t take sexual harassment seriously at all and think women who report it are somehow being unsporting.

  7. Kaboom says:

    What kind of apologist spawns a sentence like “sexual harassment allegations were thrown in there for leverage”. A false accusation of that kind should be criminally prosecuted to the same extent as the alleged crime.

  8. MaryHadALittle says:

    Casey is actually a really good actor…even better than his brother. I’ve always thought he was hot. I tell ya…men and sex.

  9. kiki says:

    he is gross they arent discussing it in other outlets for fear of attorney on retainer mags r just agents spokes pieces anyway

  10. Ella says:

    So sexual harassment claims are only plausible if they come paired in two’s? Why would you assume the first claim would be false? Have you ever been sexually harassed? Do you have any idea how difficult it is to sue and to come forward? For me, it would be more economical to list when I HAVEN’T been sexually harassed than when I have. Harassment is pervasive and it needs to stop. The first step is women coming forward and slaying the smear dragons. Good on them.

  11. PE says:

    Both Afflecks are skeevs. The time Ben Afflect harassed that tv reporter was just body shivers gross

  12. PE says:

    Affleck

  13. Iggles says:

    I believe her. I hope that both women take him to the cleaners. He is disgusting.

  14. Kitten says:

    Also, didn’t he countersue in the first incident? Maybe that was why Celebitchy gave him the benefit of the doubt? To my knowledge, (which is admittedly pretty limited as I’m not a lawyer) people don’t generally coutersue unless they have reason to believe the lawsuit brought against them is not valid.

  15. Kaiser says:

    Kitten – I agree, the fact that Casey made such a big deal about the first woman made me doubt the validity of her claims, even though my immediate reaction was to believe her.

    I think some crazy, f-cked up shit went down while Casey & Joaquin made this “documentary”.

  16. Eileen says:

    Seems like they decided to put together this “documentary” as a reason to hire hot chicks and have a free for all while filming. Too bad the girls weren’t apprised of it too!

  17. Marsh says:

    He didn’t countersue, he threatened to countersue. That’s a common legal thing sometimes used to intimidate or create an appearance of innocence

  18. original kate says:

    he has a mouth like a lizard.

  19. H says:

    I hope his wife drops his ass.

  20. Anti-icon says:

    This is an interesting news story. I believe Casey Affleck probably doesn’t know how to conduct himself like a professional, particularly in the midst of this so-called ‘documentary.” These stupid actors need to be held accountable for contracts, professionalism, and lets see, everything that goes with it.

  21. Alexa says:

    Sexual harrassment is devastating. Victims need our support. (And – of course – anyone who falsely accuses someone of sexual harrassment, or any other crime of this nature, should also be swiftly brought to justice.)

  22. texasmom says:

    He has always given me the shivers. Eek.

  23. Mrs Odie 2 says:

    I would be surprised if Joaquin was on board for Casey cheating on his sister.

  24. Madison says:

    I think there has to be some truth to these allegations because his lawyer filed a request to have this matter moved from the LA courts to private arbitration to keep the details from becoming public. I don’t think the press is really running with this story because Casey is not really that famous or it could be his that his publicist ken sunshine is known to have a lot of press influence.

  25. Jeri says:

    Madison: What you say makes a lot of sense.

    This sounds believable to me. It’s possible Joaquin wasn’t aware of how far Casey was going with the women, then too, he might of thought “what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

  26. Jen says:

    “I wonder what he’s telling his wife” I think he should tell her to get new eyebrows.

  27. Persistent Cat says:

    I believe the women. In their stories, they appear to work on keeping themselves out of situations where they’ll be alone with the men (once they’ve learned what their behaviour is like). Unlike the woman in the David Boreanaz case who managed to always find herself alone with him, regardless of the fact he constantly showed her his penis.

  28. irishserra says:

    I don’t find the words of Gorka’s lawyer “seedy.” I think it was her lawyer’s way of saying that we expect the backlash and bring it on!

    I never really sat and thought about whether or not Casey Affleck was like this, but the fact is that there is a certain entitlement and arrogance included in the personality of individuals who pursue stardom. The whole bases of their careers are very self-centered and we the consumers cater to that. It’s the rare celebrity who tries to turn their fame into awareness for something truly important.

  29. Kim says:

    hes going down. This guy is a creep and to many women are coming out about his sexual harrassment. His poor wife =(

  30. Shy says:

    I did like him. But sadly, with all that showbiz, with all that mistresses stories that turned out to be true (Tiger, Jessy James), i believe every word that this women say. I believed even when the first one spoke up. And when i look at Casey i totally imagine him doing this.

    If he is this kind of pig then he deserves the Tiger and James treatment from people. Even worse. Those two were just doing mistresses who liked that. But Casey harassed women who didn’t want it.

  31. Taya says:

    Casey just screams gross and perverted. He is only famous because of his brother.

  32. Chris says:

    I’m a Casey Affleck fan but I hate sleaze bags her abuse positions of authority. What gets me with these Hollywood stars is that they could get plenty of women who would be willing to have cheap meaningless sex with them, so why bother harassing women who aren’t interested? I guess their egos can’t handle someone saying no to them. Anyway, I’m reserving judgment on Casey until a judge reaches a verdict.

  33. Chris says:

    *”who” abuse positions of authority*

    I also want to add that I’m starting to understand how betrayed parents who thought Tiger Woods was a good role model for their kids must’ve felt when Tiger was exposed for not being the man they thought he was. But I guess you set yourself up for disappointment when you put someone on a pedestal. Perhaps it’s better to strive to live by your values rather than copy someone who you think embodies them.

  34. michelle says:

    wow,this sure is shocking.i used to be a big fan of casey affleck.but,now,i dont even want to watch another of his movies again.i definitely believe what these women are saying.they couldnt be lying if a whole group of them was coming forward with these claims.how sad.i feel bad for his wife and their children.how embarrassing this must be for them.i used to like casey.its ben i never liked.this is the kind of stuff i would have expected from ben.casey,on the other hand,i never knew anything about him.i just enjoyed watching his movies.i never heard anything about him getting into trouble or being accused of any sort of crime.not until now,that is.wow.i sure am glad i dont idolize these celebrities the way i used to.back when i was young and just too naive for my own good.