The ongoing legal battle involving CAA, Disney, and Julia Ormond highlights the complexities of Hollywood’s response to allegations of sexual misconduct.
CAA’s Legal Battle Over Disney’s Settlement with Julia Ormond
After unsuccessful attempts to extricate themselves from Julia Ormond’s 2023 filed Harvey Weinstein sexual assault case, Disney and Miramax have reached a settlement with the Emmy winner. However, CAA is complicating their exit.
CAA’s Demands for More Leverage
Just under two weeks after Ormond’s sealed settlement appeared in the New York state court docket, the agency demanded additional leverage to counter its former client. In her negligence and breach of fiduciary duty claims against CAA, Ormond alleges that executives like Bryan Lourd and Kevin Huvane were aware of the risks when she attended a CAA-arranged dinner with the Pulp Fiction producer in late 1995.
CAA’s Firm Denial
CAA has consistently denied any complicity since Ormond’s lawyers filed the sexual battery action in October 2023. After facing scrutiny from Ari Emanuel over the years, Lourd and Huvane reiterated their rejection of Ormond’s claims during their depositions.
Opposition to Ormond’s Motion
CAA is urging Justice Eric Schumacher to deny Ormond’s request to discontinue Disney and Miramax from the lawsuit due to their settlement. They claim that Miramax and Disney have obstructed every discovery request in this case.
According to CAA’s legal team, “In order for CAA to mount a vigorous defense, its affirmative defense and cross-claims require Miramax and Disney to participate in this litigation.” They argue that granting Ormond’s motion would infringe on CAA’s rights and prejudice its defense.
Discovery Insights and Allegations
Outside of court, CAA has shifted focus from discovery to the information they have gathered about Ormond. They stated, “CAA has obtained discovery from Ms. Ormond, including deposition testimony and writings from 2017, which undermine her allegations and validate CAA’s denial of her claims.”
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CAA claims Ormond admitted to having a preexisting business relationship with Harvey Weinstein before becoming a client and acknowledged a history of his misconduct. They argue that she has not provided evidence showing CAA had knowledge of Weinstein’s history to support her claims.
CAA’s Settlement Offer
Previously, CAA indicated that Ormond sought $15 million to keep them out of the case. Disney has not commented on the settlement or CAA’s objections, and Ormond’s attorney also did not respond regarding the case’s status.
Weinstein’s Ongoing Legal Troubles
Harvey Weinstein, now 73, faces a lengthy prison sentence due to his convictions and has not filed any paperwork regarding the Disney and Miramax settlement. He is scheduled to return to court for a hearing on another retrial concerning a third-degree rape charge.
In this case, Weinstein’s deposition remains sealed, similar to the Disney/Miramax settlement.
