Michael Douglas has come forward to deny that he sexually harassed a woman 32 years ago.
The Oscar winner spoke to Deadline after he says he was approached by The Hollywood Reporter who shared the claims from the woman to him
.Douglas says the woman, a blogger, alleged he masturbated in front of her - and he's coming forward now as his children are terrified the 73-year-old will be labeled a sexual predator.
The actor explains the woman 'claims that, one, I used colorful language in front of her, not at her, but that I used colorful language. 'Two, she claims that in conversations I had in front of her, on the phone, that I spoke raunchily, or dirtily with friends of mine, in private conversations.'I fired her eventually... for the work she was doing, (but) three, she claims that I blackballed her from the industry and stopped her form getting another job.'
Finally, Douglas says the allegations that he masturbated in front of her are 'a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever.'
The reporter who approached him also informed that the woman confirmed she was never touched, or, in her words, 'harassed' by Douglas.The actor then replied, 'okay... so I didn’t know where this comes from.'
He said that, throughout his career, he's prided himself in keeping a good reputation in the business.
"It’s extremely painful," Douglas said. "I don’t have skeletons in my closet, or anyone else who’s coming out or saying this."
He suggested that while the accuser might still be 'disgruntled' over her career fallout, he's disappointed his family is now left with the consequence of embarrassment and shame.
Douglas explains, "The part that hurt the worst is having to share something like this to your wife and your children. My kids are really upset... have to go to school worrying this is going to be in some article about me, being a sexual harasser. They’re scared and very uncomfortable."
Source: Daily Mail