Oscar-winning Hollywood director Paul Haggis has reportedly been arrested in Italy on charges of sexual assault and aggravated personal injury, with lurid allegations that he forced a woman into sexual intercourse over a period of two days in the town of Ostuni, where he was scheduled to conduct a series of masterclasses.
Haggis — who directed the 2004 best picture Oscar-winner Crash and wrote the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby — is facing accusations brought by a “young foreign woman” who alleges she was forced to have “non-consensual” sexual relations with the filmmaker over two days, according to the Associated Press, which cited local Italian media reports.
Cathy Schulman and Paul Haggis, winners Best Picture for Crash, with presenter Jack Nicholson (Mirek Towski/FilmMagic)
Prosecutors allege in a statement that after a couple of days “of non-consensual relations, the woman was accompanied by the man” to Brindisi airport early Sunday morning and “was left there at dawn despite [her] precarious physical and psychological conditions.”
They claimed the woman was “forced to seek medical care” following the sexual relations.
It remains unclear if Haggis is being held by Italian authorities or if he has been freed on bail.
“Under Italian Law, I cannot discuss the evidence,” Haggis’ personal attorney Priya Chaudhry said in a statement to Variety. “That said, I am confident that all allegations will be dismissed against Mr. Haggis. He is totally innocent and willing to fully cooperate with the authorities so the truth comes out quickly.”
Paul Haggis faced rape and sexual misconduct allegations during the height of the #MeToo movement, with publicist Haleigh Breest alleging Haggis violently raped her after a premiere in 2013. The filmmaker has denied those accusations.
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