The Oscar-winning actor and director Robert De Niro has come under fire for allegedly acting aggressively and creepily toward a longtime female coworker. According to Graham Chase Robinson, the actor repeatedly ridiculed and abused her, including in scathing voicemails in which he allegedly yelled that she was a “spoiled brat” and that her work was “f-king history.”
Robinson is currently suing for at least $12 million in damages, claiming that the Equal Pay Act was broken and that she was subjected to retaliation and gender discrimination. Ms. Robinson was sued by Mr. De Niro and his production company in August on the grounds that she stole money and frequent flyer points before quitting her job. But she says that the accusation was brought about as retaliation for her threats to sue the actor.
“Robert De Niro has held on to outdated values. He rejects the notion that men and women should respect one another equally, the lawsuit claims. “He doesn’t care that it is illegal to discriminate against women at work. Ms. Robinson is a victim of this mindset, according to the Post.
Robinson, now 37, started out as an executive assistant at Canal Productions in 2008, but she claims she was “forced to retire” in April after being promoted to vice president of production and finance. She further claims that Mr. De Niro treated her as his “office wife,” underpaid her, and forbade her from working overtime while making her perform “stereotypically female activities, such as housework.”
Worse, the complaint claims that De Niro frightened Robinson with weird behaviour, including “urinating during telephone chats” with her and receiving her in nothing but his “pyjamas or a bathrobe.”The complaint continues, “Among other things, De Niro would give Ms. Robinson instructions to stroke his back, button his necktie, and prod him awake when he was in bed.” De Niro also watched helplessly as his pal struck Ms. Robinson in the buttocks.
She claims that the “Taxi Driver” actor displayed misogynistic traits outside of his interactions with Robinson. He allegedly called a female business partner a “c-t” and referred to his senior assistants as “the chicks.”
She claims the actor called her a “bitch” and a “brat,” among other “vulgar, inappropriate and gendered statements,” while verbally abusing her, frequently while intoxicated.
He would make fun of his prescription for Viagra with Ms. Robinson. Regarding his youthful paramour, who was close in age to Ms. Robinson, De Niro grinned at her. De Niro asked Ms. Robinson to picture him using the restroom. Work that required physical exertion would “create a man out of you,” he said Ms. Robinson. The complaint continues, “De Niro implied that Ms. Robinson may conceive using sperm from her (married) male coworker.
A link to a clip of Mr. De Niro allegedly leaving Ms. Robinson a scathing message when she didn’t pick up his phone is provided in the lawsuit. You f-ing don’t return my calls, do you? You’re very rude! Your dismissal is imminent. He allegedly says, “You’re f-ing history. “This is nonsense. You f-king disrespect me, how dare you! You spoilt brat, you’ve got to be f-king kidding me! F-k you!”