Following allegations of sexual harassment from actresses including Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, director Brett Ratner has released a statement claiming he’ll “step down” from all activities related to Warner Bros. film and television projects in which he’s currently involved.
“In light of the allegations being made, I am choosing to personally step away from all Warner Bros.- related activities,” Ratner said in a statement issued to The Hollywood Reporter. “I don’t want to have any possible negative impact to the studio until these personal issues are resolved.”
READ MORE: Brett Ratner accused of sexual harassment by 6 women, including Olivia Munn
Ratner is at the centre of scandal following a report in the Los Angeles Times in which Munn, Henstridge and four other women claimed to have been sexually harassed by the director of such films as Rush Hour and X-Men: The Last Stand.
In the bombshell Times article, Henstridge claims that Ratner “physically forced himself on” her when she was just 19, an interaction that she alleges ended with Ratner forcing her to perform oral sex on him. Munn claims that Ratner masturbated in front of her in his trailer on a film set. “I’ve made specific, conscientious choices not to work with Brett Ratner,” Munn told the Times. “It feels as if I keep going up against the same bully at school who just won’t quit.”
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Despite the accusations, Ratner’s lawyer, Marty Singer, “categorically” disputed the claims of the women.
“I have represented Mr. Ratner for two decades, and no woman has ever made a claim against him for sexual misconduct or sexual harassment,” Singer said in “a 10-page letter” to the Los Angeles Times. “Furthermore, no woman has ever requested or received any financial settlement from my client.”
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