Paul Schrader insists he has 'nothing to hide' amid sexual assault allegations

Paul Schrader has insisted he has "nothing to hide" after being accused of sexual assault and harassment.

A former assistant to the writer-director filed a lawsuit on 3 April, accusing him of sexual misconduct.

The 26-year-old woman, referred to in the documents as Jane Doe, claimed the 78-year-old acted inappropriately towards her on several occasions, including exposing himself to her in a hotel room.

In an open letter responding to the claims, the Taxi Driver screenwriter called the allegations "false and misleading".

"Out of the blue, in the fall of last year, a lawyer I had never heard of, representing my former assistant, sent me a letter demanding that I pay my former assistant millions of dollars or she would go public with sensational, false and misleading accusations about our relationship and my conduct via a lawsuit," he wrote.

The director explained that he pulled out of a proposed settlement agreement because he "refused to bow to the coercion created by what I regard as unwarranted and opportunistic claims" and decided to tell his side of the story.

Schrader insisted that he "never had sex in any form with Plaintiff" but admitted that they kissed twice during her employment between 2021 and 2024. He claimed that she "indicated displeasure" after the second occasion and he allegedly never tried to do so again.

Concluding his lengthy letter, the Raging Bull writer penned, "I have nothing to hide about my conduct - and that includes my decision not to yield to the pressure of my former assistant's threat to make her sensational allegations public, a threat that she and her lawyers have now executed. If this case ever makes it to trial, I will be honest with the judge and jury who I am confident will see the truth."

Jane Doe is suing Schrader to force him to sign the settlement agreement.