Brett Ratner

Newton subsequently brought another action seeking to have the agreements declared unlawful and also circulated an allegation that a letter signed by Ratner in support of Kirk's O-1 visa in 2012 exaggerated her qualifications, supposedly conflicting with subsequent assessments of her talent. The court concluded that challenges to the agreement had already been arbitrated and upheld the objection without allowing another amendment of the complaint.

Attribution

Accused

Amazon MGM Studios chose Ratner to direct the documentary 'Melania', centred on Melania Trump in the run-up to Donald Trump's second inauguration. The project marked his first major return to directing since the 2017 accusations and prompted debate over the reintegration of figures sidelined during #MeToo, particularly through political networks.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Development of 'Rush Hour 4' resumed as several media outlets reported that Donald Trump had personally encouraged Paramount, now controlled by interests linked to Larry Ellison, to advance the film. Ratner was attached to direct, turning the return of a commercial franchise into a controversy over presidential involvement in a studio decision.

Attribution

Political responsibility

Ratner accompanied Donald Trump on a presidential trip to China and was seen aboard Air Force One. His spokesperson said that he was using the trip to scout locations and meet contacts for 'Rush Hour 4', prompting criticism of the overlap between official diplomatic travel and private commercial interests.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Photographs in the Epstein files show Ratner with Epstein and unidentified young women. Other documents include a publicist's 2012 message saying that Ratner sent warm greetings to Epstein and a 2018 exchange in which Epstein mentioned Ratner, raising questions about the actual extent of their acquaintance.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Amazon paid 40 million dollars for the rights to the film 'Melania' and committed approximately 35 million more to marketing. Sources estimated that approximately 28 million of the acquisition price would go directly to Melania Trump. The difference from competing offers and Amazon's interests with the administration led lawmakers to request documents about a possible 'pay-to-play' arrangement. Ratner, as director and producer, publicly defended the project's price.

State of the evidence

Documented

Crew members described filming under Ratner as highly disorganised, demanding and chaotic. According to the report that prompted the controversy, approximately two-thirds of the New York crew allegedly asked not to be credited, some saying they wanted to avoid association with the film or Ratner.

Attribution

Directly implicated

In proceedings arising from the Kirk agreement, a 2024 arbitration found that Joshua Newton had breached the agreement and committed fraud in his use of funds invested in his film. Ratner and three other executives obtained a total exceeding 10.3 million dollars in damages, costs, interest and legal fees. In May 2025, the Superior Court refused to vacate the award and confirmed the judgement in their favour.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

The California Court of Appeal confirmed the existence of a confidential agreement concluded in August 2017 between Charlotte Kirk, Joshua Newton and four executives including Ratner. Without any admission of wrongdoing, the agreement settled claims of sexual harassment, emotional distress and defamation and included payments and an undertaking to invest in a film. Subsequent arbitration imposed a confidentiality injunction.

State of the evidence

Settlement

Attribution

Directly implicated

Ratner was due to direct a film about Milli Vanilli, presented as his return to directing after 2017. Time's Up and others strongly criticised the prospect of a comeback without a new public accountability process. Shortly afterwards, Millennium Media announced that it would no longer participate in the project.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In a sworn declaration made public in 2020, Charlotte Kirk accused several Hollywood executives, including Ratner, of sexually exploiting her and alleged that Ratner sent her crude sexual messages and presented her as a benefit to business partners. This contrasted with a public statement in 2019 in which she said she had no grievance against Ratner and described him as a friend who had helped her professionally.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Directly implicated

In 2017, Melanie Kohler published a message alleging that Ratner had raped her in 2005. Ratner immediately sued Kohler for defamation, calling the allegation entirely false and fabricated. After an initial decision refusing to dismiss his complaint, Ratner ultimately discontinued the action in 2018.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

After the allegations were published, Warner Bros decided not to renew Ratner's production deal and subsequently allowed his major co-financing agreement to expire; Playboy suspended its Hugh Hefner biopic, and other commercial partners also abandoned projects.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Tanya Reid, then 18 and working at the reception desk of a Miami hotel, stated that Ratner and Russell Simmons had repeatedly called her with sexual propositions. She subsequently alleged that Ratner came alone to her apartment, exposed himself and used his hand to push her head towards his penis until she submitted to oral sex.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Eri Sasaki, an extra on 'Rush Hour 2', accused Ratner of touching her without consent and then asking her to follow him into a bathroom, allegedly linking the proposition to her ambition to become famous.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Jorina King, also an extra on 'Rush Hour 2', stated that an assistant asked her to go to the director's trailer, where Ratner allegedly asked her to show her breasts. She refused and left.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Jaymee Ong recounted being invited in 2001 to what she believed was a party at Ratner's home. According to her, he brought her into his bedroom, locked the door, groped her despite her protests, exposed himself and then masturbated after she refused to touch him. She said she told her friends about the incident immediately afterwards.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Directly implicated

Sarah Shahi alleged that Ratner repeatedly approached her from behind during filming of 'Rush Hour 3', rubbed his pelvis against her and made explicit sexual comments. She said she reacted loudly and spoke shortly afterwards to casting director Michelle Lewitt Kehl, who confirmed having received her account.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Directly implicated

Producer Shelly Clippard accused Ratner of making explicit sexual remarks during a flight and showing her nude photographs of his then partner. The incident was published during a second wave of allegations in November 2017.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Brittny McCarthy alleged that James Toback, himself accused by numerous women of sexually abusive behaviour, had used Ratner's home for an alleged sexual assault. The controversy concerns use of the premises and Ratner's closeness to Toback, not an allegation that Ratner committed the assault against McCarthy.

Former fashion stylist Leah Forester accused Ratner of pushing her into a room, closing the door, masturbating in front of her and then ejaculating on her. Her account was published shortly after the initial investigation involving six women in November 2017.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Munn recounted that in 2010, during an industry event, Ratner made a vulgar sexual remark about her in front of others. The Los Angeles Times reported corroboration from people to whom she had described the incident or who had heard it.

Natasha Henstridge stated that, when she was 19, Ratner blocked the exit from his apartment and physically forced her to perform oral sex on him. Several people told the Los Angeles Times that she had discussed the incident with them years earlier.

Attribution

Accused

Olivia Munn alleged that Ratner masturbated in front of her in his trailer during filming of 'After the Sunset' in 2004 and later made other aggressive sexual remarks. In 2011, Ratner publicly claimed to have had sex with her before acknowledging a few days later that the claim was false and apologising.

Attribution

Accused

Jaime Ray Newman stated that after changing seats to sit next to her in first class, Ratner quickly and publicly described sexual acts he wanted to perform on her and showed her nude photographs of his partner.

Attribution

Accused

Katharine Towne stated that Ratner made extremely persistent sexual advances at a party, followed her into a bathroom and continued despite her discomfort; his assistant allegedly then tried for months to arrange a date.

Attribution

Accused

Elliot Page recounted that, at age 18, during preparations for 'X-Men: The Last Stand', Ratner publicly told another woman that she should have sex with Page to make him realise he was gay, thereby revealing his orientation before he was publicly out. Anna Paquin said she had been present and supported the account.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Accused

Keri Claussen Khalighi, aged 17 at the time according to her account, alleged that during a sexual assault she attributes to Russell Simmons, she looked at Ratner and asked him for help, later concluding that she had felt the two men were 'together' in the situation.

Journalist Danielle Berrin described persistent advances during her 2008 profile of Ratner while interviewing him at home: repeated requests for dates, physical closeness and insistence despite her refusals. She revisited the episode in 2011. Questioned at the time by the Los Angeles Times, Ratner acknowledged flirting while disputing that he had been as aggressive as described.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Directly implicated

During a television programme, Ratner claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Olivia Munn. A few days later, interviewed by Howard Stern, he acknowledged that the claim was untrue and said he regretted damaging her reputation.

Attribution

Personally implicated

While preparing to produce the 2012 Academy Awards ceremony, Ratner used a homophobic slur during a public question-and-answer session and then gave a very explicit radio interview about his sex life. Following public reaction and disapproval from the Academy, he apologised and resigned as producer.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

The 'Rush Hour' franchise, particularly 'Rush Hour 2', was criticised for building much of its humour around racial, national and linguistic stereotypes. Academic and film criticism examined how the film made racial differences central to its comedy and could simultaneously mock and normalise them.

State of the evidence

Documented

Beverly Hills police investigated a complaint in 2001 by a 29-year-old woman who alleged she had been held against her will and unlawfully touched by Ratner and Russell Simmons at Ratner's home. The case was referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated