“Fast & Furious” star Vin Diesel has been sued by a former assistant who claimed in a lawsuit filed Thursday that the actor sexually assaulted her at a Buckhead hotel in 2010 while the “Fast Five” movie was being filmed in Atlanta.
Asta Jonasson alleged that she was asked to wait in Diesel’s suite at the St. Regis hotel, where he groped and kissed her while pinning her against a wall. Diesel also allegedly masturbated while pinning Jonasson to a wall with his body, according to the complaint.
“Ms. Jonasson was unable to escape and closed her eyes, scared of angering Vin Diesel by rejecting him further and trying to dissociate, wishing the assault would end,” the lawsuit states.
The complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Diesel’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his client “categorically denies” the allegations.
“This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly 9-day employee,” Freedman said. “There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations.”
Claire-Lise Y. Kutlay, an attorney for Jonasson, told the AJC that Jonasson was initially too afraid to report the alleged assault. Jonasson was also made to sign a nondisclosure agreement as an employee of Diesel’s One Race production business, Kutlay said.
“She was afraid what it would mean for her career in the film industry, which has a pattern of protecting powerful men and silencing people who do speak up about sexual abuse that they have received or been subjected to,” Kutlay said Thursday. “She has made the very courageous decision to file a lawsuit so that she can seek justice and hold Vin Diesel and the others that permitted and covered up the sexual assault accountable for their actions.”
Diesel’s sister, Samantha Vincent, has also been sued by Jonasson, case records show. Vincent is the president of Diesel’s production company that employed Jonasson, and was the one who fired Jonasson shortly after the alleged assault, Kutlay said.
One Race Productions Inc. and One Race Films Inc. are also named as defendants in the case.
Jonasson, a California resident, was over the age of 18 when the alleged assault occurred, Kutlay said. She said Jonasson wants to prevent other women from experiencing what she went through.
Jonasson alleged that she was hired by One Race in September 2010 as an assistant working directly for Diesel. She said her first assignment was to travel to Atlanta for the filming of “Fast Five,” the fifth movie in the “Fast & Furious” franchise.
On Sept. 10, 2010, Diesel was allegedly entertaining multiple women at his hotel suite. Once the other women had left, Diesel attempted to undress Jonasson, she alleged.
After the alleged assault, Diesel said “Good job,” to Jonasson before leaving the suite, per the complaint. Within hours, Jonasson had been fired by Vincent, the lawsuit states.
“The message was clear,” the complaint states. “Ms. Jonasson was fired for courageously resisting Vin Diesel’s sexual assault, Vin Diesel would be protected, and his sexual assault covered up.”
Jonasson was empowered to sue in light of the “#MeToo” and “Time’s Up” movements exposing sexual assault, her lawsuit states. She said she felt protected by the federal Speak Out Act as well as California law allowing her to bring her otherwise untimely claims.
The lawsuit includes civil claims of sexual battery, sex discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination.
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