Michael Douglas denies sexual harassment

Star speaks out before claims are published

by Jennie Kermode

Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas Photo: David Shankbone

"This is a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever," Michael Douglas told Deadline yesterday in a pre-emptive interview, seeking to dismiss claims that he masturbated in front of a former employee. He stressed "I don’t have skeletons in my closet," and said that he was struggling to understand why the allegation was being made over 30 years after the incident is said to have occurred.

Alongside the claim about masturbation, Douglas has been accused of using 'colourful language' in front of, but not too, the woman, and of speaking 'in a dirty way' with friends when she was present. He acknowledged that this may well have happened and apologised for it. Asserting that he fired her for reasons related to her work, he denied a further claim that he then blackballed her, making it hard for her to get another job in the industry.

Douglas stressed his support for the Me Too movement and said that he has always aimed to support women in the industry, something which he intends to continue to do. "I’d confess to anything I thought I was responsible for," he said.

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