LOS ANGELES – The Latest on sexual harassment and abuse allegations against powerful men in the entertainment and media industries (all times local):
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1:05 p.m.
Terry Crews names his alleged attacker and compares being sexually assaulted to being a prisoner of war in an appearance Wednesday on “Good Morning America.”
Crews tells host Michael Strahan that he “never felt more emasculated” than when a powerful Hollywood agent groped him at a party last year and that the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein triggered an episode of post-traumatic stress.
Crews confirmed that he recently filed a police report against a top agent at William Morris Endeavor. A message seeking comment from the agency was not immediately returned Wednesday.
The star of TV’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” says he felt empowered to share his experience after so many women came forward with allegations against Weinstein.
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10 a.m.
Production is set to begin this month on a series about sexual harassment in the film industry.
The Workshop production company says its eight-part documentary series will be called “Shame: The Story of Sexual Harassment in Hollywood.”
The company describes the project as an outgrowth of the escalating Hollywood sex scandals now gripping the nation.
It promises to explore issues starting with the “casting couch mentality” that dates back to the days of silent films. It will stretch from the disgrace of “Fatty” Arbuckle nearly a century ago to modern-day offenders like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein, shining a light on how actors, directors and producers have routinely used their power to engage in unsolicited, abusive behavior.
No TV outlet is yet attached to the series.
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9:55 a.m.
A newly released police report details allegations that actor Tom Sizemore groped an 11-year-old girl at a Utah photo shoot in 2003.
The documents released Wednesday say the child actor told police Sizemore kissed and groped her as they posed for pictures for the movie eventually titled “Born Killers.”
The report says a woman responsible for children on set told police she didn’t witness inappropriate touching.
Utah prosecutors declined to file charges, citing witness and evidence problems.
A production company lawyer later told police Sizemore had been fired and was suing.
Sizemore’s agent Stephen Rice did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Sizemore’s career has included roles in “Saving Private Ryan” and “Black Hawk Down,” but he’s also been dogged by drug abuse and domestic violence arrests.
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9:45 a.m.
An executive at Penguin Random House is facing allegations of sexual harassment.
In a Twitter thread posted Monday, poet Charlyne Yi alleged that executive art director Giuseppe Castellano repeatedly suggested they go to her hotel room and told her that his wife wouldn’t mind if they had an affair. She wrote that they originally met at a bar to discuss a book project and that he had disparaged men who preyed upon women.
Penguin Random House tweeted in response that it took the allegations “extremely seriously” and was investigating. A Penguin spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday to The Associated Press that the tweet was the company’s response to her. Castellano was not immediately available for comment.
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8:45 a.m.
An unnamed aspiring actress has filed a proposed class action lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and his former company in an attempt to hold them financially responsible for the producer’s alleged sexual harassment and assault.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles federal court does not name the woman, or give a date when she alleges Weinstein sexually harassed her. The lawsuit references the conduct taking place in a building occupied by Miramax, which was sold to the Walt Disney Co. in 1993.
It includes detailed summaries of press accounts of Weinstein’s harassment, and accuses Weinstein and his former companies, Miramax and The Weinstein Co., of enabling the producer’s “casting couch” behavior.
There was no immediate comment from representatives for Weinstein and his former company, The Weinstein Co.
