Eliza Dushku said she turned down the New York Times’ request to comment on its story about the $9.5 million confidential settlement she received from CBS following her allegations of sexual harassment against her former “Bull” co-star Michael Weatherly. She believed speaking out would violate the terms of the settlement.
But Dushku felt compelled to defend herself after reading the Times’ article in which Weatherly and show writer-producer Glenn Gordon Caron are quoted.
“I was under the impression that Weatherly and Caron would also not respond per our settlement,” Dushku said. “Instead, all commented to the Times in what amounted to more deflection, denial, and spin.”
Dushku, 37, told her side of the story in an opinion piece for the Boston Globe. She alleged that Weatherly began harassing her early on during her time on the set of the CBS show, and that much of Weatherly’s unprofessional behavior was caught on videotape that CBS’ lawyers shared with her attorneys during the settlement process.
Weatherly responded to the Times through an email, saying that he was making jokes during taping that mocked lines from the script.
“When Eliza told me that she wasn’t comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized,” he said. “After reflecting on this further, I better understand that what I said was both not funny and not appropriate and I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza.”
But Dushku disputed Weatherly’s interpretation of events.
“There was daily undeniably demeaning conduct that is unacceptable in an absolute sense,” she wrote for the Globe. “Everyone should be allowed to work without harassment. Weatherly sexually harassed and bullied me day-in and day-out and would have gotten away with it had he not been caught on tape … Reflecting on the whole ordeal, it often makes me think with sadness of the majority of victims who do not have the benefit of the fortunate evidence — the tapes that I had.”
Among Dushku’s claims were:
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- Weatherly offered to take her to his “rape van, filled with all sorts of lubricants and long phallic things”
- He constantly made remarks about a threesome that involved him and Dushku`
- Weatherly bragged about his sperm and vasectomy reversals
- He had a habit of exaggerated eye-balling and leering
- Weatherly tried to intimidate Dushku by bring up his close friendship with since-fired CBS CEO Leslie Moonves
- She confronted Weatherly about his behavior, but to no avail
“Weatherly did all this. His conduct was unwelcome and directed at me,” Dushku said. “Watching the recordings in the settlement process, it is easy to see how uncomfortable, speechless, and frozen he made me feel. For Weatherly’s part, it looks like a deeply insecure power play, about a need to dominate and demean. In no way was it playful, nor was it joking with two willing participants.”
As for Caron, Dushku said he downplayed Weatherly’s actions as “frat” behavior and wrote her off the show within 48 hours of her one-on-one talk with Weatherly. She also said Caron fired her without the knowledge or consent of the CBS brass.
Dushku said that as part of her settlement she asked that CBS hire someone trained in sexual harassment compliance to monitor Weatherly and the “Bull” set.
She also asked to meet with Steven Spielberg, whose Amblin production company co-produces the show. Dushku said that meeting has yet to happen.
“I have been a lifelong fan and assumed that if anyone could make changes, it would be Spielberg,” Dushku wrote. “Watching the Golden Globes and seeing Spielberg front-and-center wearing a ‘Time’s Up’ pin shortly after my settlement made me especially eager to meet with him.”
Dushku said CBS brought her in for the final three episodes of the first season of “Bull,” with the intention of hiring her on a multiple-year contract as a second lead alongside Weatherly.
The Times published its article during the investigation of Moonves, who was ousted as network CEO in September after allegations from 12 women surfaced that he subjected them to sexual mistreatment and retaliation if they resisted.
