With the #MeToo movement and Time’s Up on the rise, Michael Douglas is the latest celebrity to be accused of sexual misconduct. Susan Braudy, a writer who worked with Douglas in the ‘80s, has recently publicly accused Douglas of sexual harassment.
“He thought he was the king of the world, and that he could humiliate me without any repercussions,” Braudy told NBC News in an interview.
She went on to describe some of her unpleasant encounters in further detail: “I began wearing long, loose layers of black. He asked a producer, ‘Why does Susan dress like a pregnant nun?’ Another time I laughed loudly and he shouted to a group of agents, ‘Oh yeah, she’s a screamer! I bet she screams in the sack.’”
Braudy also discussed an interaction in 1989 that happened in a one-on-one script meeting in Douglas’ apartment. “He slid down to the floor, unbuckled his belt and put his hands inside his trousers. And I could see what he was doing. And then he began to sort of fondle himself, and I was very scared.”
Douglas declined for comment, but he and his lawyer had an off-the-record conversation with The Hollywood Reporter in which Douglas called the story “an unfortunate and complete fabrication.” Catherine Zeta-Jones — Douglas’ current wife since 2000— also told The Hollywood Reporter that these reports are true and happened before they were together.
Prior to the report from Braudy breaking, Michael Douglas tried to launch a preemptive strike by talking about the matter to Deadline on Jan. 9. In the story, he admits he has had misconducts in the past and is sorry for his actions.
“Michael came out with that pre-emptive statement. he was articulate, said it from the heart, was honest, open and transparent,” Jones said. “He now has to take the next step from where he goes from here. It happened 30 years ago, it was B.C.: before Catherine.”