Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — Scott Rudin, an EGOT-winner who produced Oscar-winning films such as Lady Bird and No Country for Old Men, has been accused by multiple ex-staffers of physical, mental, racist and sexual abuse.
In a damning Hollywood Reporter story published Wednesday, the piece starts out with ex-staffers recalling a 2012 event when Rudin smashed an Apple computer monitor on one of his assistant’s hands — stating the producer became enraged for not being able to procure a seat on a sold-out flight.
The assistant required immediate medical attention while Rudin, allegedly, called his lawyer.
Andrew Coles, who worked for Rudin at the time, told THR, “There were the guys that were sleeping in the office, the guys whose hair was falling out and were developing ulcers. It was a very intense environment.”
Another staffer, Caroline Rugo, attests she was fired for having Type 1 diabetes but didn’t sue Rudin “because of the fear of being blacklisted.”
Adds Rugo, “Everyone just knows he’s an absolute monster” but excused his behavior because of his success.
Other staffers who have come forward have accused the 62-year-old of fostering a cult-like atmosphere and intimidating employees by throwing and breaking objects around the office. They claim Rudin would retaliate against those who quit, such as removing credits from IMDb pages and sabotaging their careers by emailing false accusations to their new employers.
Since the article’s initial publication, other ex-staffers have spoken out against The Book of Mormon producer, such as Megan Ellison, who worked with Rudin on True Grit.
“This piece barely scratches the surface of Scott Rudin’s abusive, racist, and sexist behavior,” she warned on Twitter. “Similarly to Harvey [Weinstein], too many are afraid to speak out. I support and applaud those who did.”
By Megan Stone
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