Robert De Niro’s company, Canal Productions, has been directed by a jury in New York City to compensate his former assistant $1.2 million. The jury found the firm guilty of gender discrimination and retaliation, ending a highly publicized legal dispute where De Niro was accused of subjecting his aide to sexist conduct as an intolerable employer.
After about five hours of deliberation on Thursday, November 9, and a two-week trial, jurors in a federal court in Manhattan reached a verdict. De Niro provided impactful testimony to counter allegations made by his former assistant, Graham Chase Robinson, of his unpleasant demeanor as a boss.
While De Niro was not held personally liable, Canal Productions, his company, has been ordered by the jury to pay Robinson damages of $632,142 for each claim.
De Niro took to the witness stand in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, October 31, to address allegations of gender discrimination made against him and his company, by his former assistant.
The lawsuit, which has sparked considerable media attention, detailed accusations of demeaning treatment and inappropriate job assignments and asked for $12 million in damages.
Robinson, who initially worked as De Niro’s executive assistant and later ascended to the role of vice president at Canal Productions, filed the gender discrimination lawsuit against both the actor and his company. She claimed that during her employment, De Niro frequently referred to her as his “office wife” and assigned her tasks inconsistent with her job description, such as washing his sheets.
In a recent court testimony, De Niro did acknowledge that he had berated Robinson for not waking him up for a crucial meeting. He also concurred that he might have used words such as “petulant”, “snippy”, and “f——g spoiled brat” to describe her on occasion.
However, the trial took a dramatic turn when De Niro, upon being asked if he ever audibly urinated while on phone calls with Robinson, reacted vehemently, exclaiming, “Shame on you, Chase Robinson!” This particular incident underscored the palpable tension between the actor and his former assistant.
Robinson’s lawsuit delved into more serious allegations, stating that De Niro subjected her to years of gender discrimination and harassment. She also claimed she received lower pay than a male colleague performing the same role. In a contrasting move, Canal Productions countersued Robinson, alleging that she improperly transferred over $450,000 in airline miles belonging to the company.
One of the points raised in the lawsuit was Robinson’s annual salary during her tenure as the vice president of production and finance at Canal Productions, which stood at $300,000. However, Robinson later resigned from her post, citing concerns about “company sabotage.”
De Niro refuted these allegations, describing the entire lawsuit as “nonsense” and “absurd.” He was further questioned on allegations of asking Robinson to scratch his back and contacting her during a family member’s funeral. De Niro firmly denied any mistreatment of Robinson during her time at Canal Productions.
The trial, which began in federal court in Manhattan, marked the culmination of a four-year legal dispute between De Niro and Robinson. This legal battle has drawn significant public and media attention due to the serious nature of the allegations and the high profiles of the parties involved.