According to new reports, Warner Bros. Chairman Kevin Tsujihara will go under investigation after leaked text messages indicated he may have had a sexual relationship with actress Charlotte Kirk.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tsujihara and his associates Brett Ratner and James Packer then had to manage Kirk’s demands for more roles, which eventually led to allegations of extortion.
From THR:
Kirk ultimately was cast in small roles in two Warners films: 2016’s How to Be Single and 2018’s Ocean’s 8, and according to documents reviewed by THR as well as accounts from sources, she scored auditions for several other projects at Warners and at Avi Lerner’s Millennium Films. The texts show that over time, Kirk became increasingly agitated because she was not getting as many roles as anticipated. Eventually, Ratner seemed to take the lead in attempting to manage the situation and, via attorney Marty Singer, brokered a proposed settlement agreement that would have assured her auditions as well as an appearance in a Ratner-directed movie. The proposed deal was never signed, according to Singer. Ratner maintains that Kirk was a friend and he was simply helping her secure auditions.
The report also indicates that though Warner Bros. will do another investigation based on newly leaked texts, there was already an investigation in 2017 that found no “impropriety.”
In a statement, WarnerMedia said, “Through her spokesperson, the actress has publicly denied any impropriety in her casting, and our prior investigation did not find otherwise.”
“Whenever we receive new allegations, it is our standard practice to conduct an appropriate investigation. And that is what we will do here.”
Kirk herself denied being victimized by any of the men.
“I emphatically deny any inappropriate behaviour on the part of Brett Ratner, James Packer, and Kevin Tsujihara, and I have no claims against any of them. I confirm that I was in a romantic relationship with James Packer in the summer of 2013 and that I was treated with respect by Mr. Packer, and I have no issues with him or claims against him,” she said in a statement.
“I further confirm that when the relationship ended I sought the advice of Mr. Tsujihara whom I had been introduced to by Mr. Packer. Mr. Tsujihara never promised me anything. I also confirm that Brett Ratner helped me out of friendship to assist me in getting auditions and trying to help me find an agent, and I have no issues with him or claims against him. I deny that there was any legal settlement or agreement entered into between myself and Brett Ratner in 2016.”
However, according to the text messages, things did get heated between the group of associates.
A 2015 exchange published by THR shows Kirk recalling that Tsujihara said he “would help” her “when we were in that motel having sex,” and now that he was “ignoring” her, “it makes me feel used.”
At one point, Brett Ratner, exasperated with Kirk, accused her of “extortion” in trying to use her relationships to get acting jobs.
Kirk replied, “Brett you’re an idiot I’m not extorting anyone.”
In 2017, Warner Bros. cut ties with Brett Ratner following allegations of sexual misconduct.