Actor’s ex-assistant testifies in court, reveals his ‘creepy’ conduct.
Actor’s Former Executive Assistant Testifies in Court About His ‘Creepy’ Behavior
Robert De Niro’s former top executive assistant said she found it “creepy” when the actor insisted she scratch his back, an example of behavior she found controlling and abusive before she quit her job in 2019, she testified Friday at a New York civil trial.
In a full day of testimony, Graham Chase Robinson became emotional several times as she claimed that the trauma she endured before she quit working for De Niro in 2019 after 11 years has left her jobless and depressed.
“I was having an emotional and mental breakdown. I wasn’t eating. I wasn’t sleeping. Couldn’t run. I was overwhelmed,” she told jurors in Manhattan federal court. “I felt like I hit rock bottom.”
She said she suffers from anxiety and depression and hasn’t worked in four years despite applying for 638 jobs.
“I don’t have a social life,” she said. “I’m so humiliated and embarrassed and feel so judged. I feel so damaged in a way. … I lost my life. Lost my career. Lost my financial independence. I lost everything.”
Robinson, 41, is seeking $12 million in damages from De Niro, 80, for gender discrimination and retaliation. De Niro has asked a jury to award him $6 million on breach of loyalty and fiduciary duty grounds.
Robinson said the back-scratching had occurred several times over the years until she offered a mild protest once, suggesting to De Niro that there was a device he could use instead.
“I like the way that you do it,” she said De Niro told her.
She described the comment as “creepy” and “disgusting.”
During testimony earlier in the week, De Niro scoffed at the back-scratching claim and other assertions, saying he always treated Robinson with respect and never with “disrespect or lewdness.”
He also claimed he never yelled at her just before he did in court, shouting: “Shame on you, Chase Robinson!” He quickly apologized for the outburst.
Robinson said part of her duties that required her to be available around the clock included helping De Niro navigate a complicated love life that at one point involved a wife, an ex-girlfriend and a new girlfriend that he didn’t want the world to yet know about.
Robinson portrayed De Niro in her testimony as sexist with his language toward female employees and discriminatory in how he paid them.
Her testimony was undercut on cross-examination when a lawyer for De Niro confronted her with the fact that the actor’s highest-paid employee was a woman and that a man who worked for one of De Niro’s companies, Canal Productions, just like Robinson, was paid less than a third of the $300,000 salary she secured before she quit.
Robinson testified about several instances when she claimed De Niro, who gained fame and two Oscars over the past five decades in films like “Raging Bull,” “The Deer Hunter” and the new Martin Scorsese film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” erupted angrily at her, sometimes using profanity.
Around Christmas of 2017, Robinson said, an inebriated De Niro called her angry one evening because he couldn’t find some presents that had been sent to him from the office for the holiday.
“He was screaming about not being able to find some of the presents,” Robinson said. “He was cursing left and right.”
He then called her an expletive and hung up, she said.
She said she found it “incredibly hurtful … especially when you’re just trying to do your job.”
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
The post Actor’s Former Executive Assistant Testifies in Court About His ’Creepy’ Behavior appeared first on The Western Journal.
What specific incident did Robinson testify about that she found disturbing and uncomfortable involving De Niro?
Despite De Niro’s denials, Robinson testified that she witnessed his controlling and abusive behavior throughout the 11 years she worked as his executive assistant. One particular incident that stood out to Robinson was when De Niro insisted she scratch his back. This request made her uncomfortable and she even suggested an alternative device for him to use, but De Niro insisted that he preferred her doing it. She described this incident as “creepy” and “disgusting.”
Robinson also revealed the toll that her time working for De Niro took on her mental and emotional well-being. She shared that she experienced an emotional and mental breakdown, resulting in a loss of appetite and sleep. She felt overwhelmed by the demands and abusive treatment she endured. As a result, Robinson suffers from anxiety and depression and has been unable to find employment for the past four years despite applying for numerous jobs. She expressed her humiliation, embarrassment, and feelings of being judged, and lamented the loss of her career and financial independence.
In her lawsuit against De Niro, Robinson is seeking $12 million in damages for gender discrimination and retaliation. In response, De Niro is requesting a jury to award him $6 million for breach of loyalty and fiduciary duty. The legal battle between the former executive assistant and the actor continues.
Throughout the trial, De Niro has refuted Robinson’s allegations, claiming that he always treated her with respect and denying any instances of disrespect or lewdness. He dismissed her claims about the back-scratching incident and highlighted his professional conduct towards her. However, Robinson maintains her version of events and stands by her accusations of abusive behavior by De Niro.
Additionally, Robinson testified about another aspect of her job that involved managing De Niro’s personal life. She claimed that part of her duties included helping him navigate a complicated love life, which included juggling a wife, an ex-girlfriend, and a new girlfriend that he wanted to keep secret from the public eye.
The testimony provided by Graham Chase Robinson sheds light on the issues of control and abuse that can occur in the workplace, even in powerful industries such as the entertainment world. As the trial unfolds, the court will ultimately determine the validity of Robinson’s claims and whether she will receive the damages she seeks. Regardless of the outcome, the case brings attention to the importance of addressing and preventing abusive behavior in professional settings.
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