Hollywood Director Brett Ratnor Steps Away From Warner Bros Projects Following Harassment Allegations
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Brothers has severed all ties with director and producer Brett Ratner in light of the recent sexual harassment and assault accusations six women have made against him, including actress Olivia Munn. The LA Times reported that Munn visited the set of After The Sunset, a film Ratner directed back in 2004.
Munn was still an aspiring actress, and when she delivered him a meal, he masturbated in front of her.
The LA Times also detailed a rape accusation Melanie Kohler made against Ratner. Kolhler stated:
[Ratner] preyed on me as a drunk girl [and] forced himself upon me ... Brett Ratner raped me.
In response, Ratner has sued Kohler for defamation.
Ratner released a statement, saying:
In light of the allegations being made, I am choosing to personally step away from all Warner Bros.-related activities. I don’t want to have any possible negative impact to the studio until these personal issues are resolved.
Some people on Twitter thought Ratner was finally getting his comeuppance:
I think this is the "Cleansing of Hollywood"
— City of Two Rivers (@CityofTwoRivers) November 2, 2017
The "Casting Couch" has came back to haunt them
Good
And another one gone, and another one gone
— ahpook (@ahpookishere) November 2, 2017
Another one bites the dust, yeah
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
— Marie Clare (@cellabiao) November 2, 2017
Others had clapbacks for those who questioned why the accusers didn't go to the police right away:
Please no more "Why didn't they go to the police?" crap
— Luisa Haynes (@wokeluisa) November 1, 2017
You don't know what it's like to
1) be violated
2) have to relive it
Brett Ratner
Even celebrity personality Perez Hilton got in on this one:
And this is one of the strongest reasons why some women are afraid to come forward! Details HERE: https://t.co/0NtTTBegG2
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) November 2, 2017
Olivia Munn decided to reach out via Twitter:
THANK YOU to everyone for your support and outrage. If anyone has a story they want to share @AmyKinLA DMs are open. https://t.co/7sBrDiXnQ5
— om (@oliviamunn) November 1, 2017
She also shared her love for Kohler:
Until she got sued yesterday, most people didn't know about Melanie... I'm happy she has a platform to tell her story now. https://t.co/G3yEJkulEb
— om (@oliviamunn) November 3, 2017
Replies from Munn's followers flooded in, sharing words of support:
THANK YOU for your bravery. I am so horrified for the abuse you all endured but so grateful for your courage to make our world better.
— Jen Ponton (@JenPonton) November 1, 2017
I stand with you and of the others!Thank you for your courage. Without the shared experiences and Voices it's so much harder to come forward
— Natasha Henstridge (@nathenstridge) November 1, 2017
One woman had an extremely personal thank you:
— Erica Cho (@ericach0) November 3, 2017
Even Munn's former Newsroom co-star, Thomas Sadoski, chimed in:
Got your back, homie.
— Thomas Sadoski (@ThomasSadoski) November 1, 2017
Sexual assault is a serious crime. If you or anyone you know is a victim, please check out these resources: