Robert De Niro's ex-assistant has hit out at the star as she reveals "creepy" and "disgusting" requests that he allegedly made to her.
Graham Chase Robinson, a former assistant to Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, broke down in tears while testifying on the fifth day of a high-profile trial at Manhattan Federal Court.
Robinson, 41, is suing the 80-year-old actor for alleged gender discrimination during her tenure at De Niro's company, Canal Productions, spanning from 2008 to 2019.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Robinson accused De Niro of making her feel "physically uncomfortable" by requesting her to scratch his back. She described the encounter as "creepy" and "disgusting" when De Niro insisted on her doing it because he preferred "the way you do it."
De Niro had previously admitted to requesting a back scratch from Robinson "once or twice" but maintained that it was never done with "any disrespect."
Robinson further alleged that De Niro referred to her as "b****" two or three times during her employment, actions she found "hurtful" and "demeaning."
Robinson's $12 million lawsuit was initially filed four years ago, shortly after De Niro sued her for alleged misuse of the company's accounts.
In her testimony, Robinson recounted De Niro's alleged insistence on having his back scratched, saying: "I mentioned there was a back scratcher he could use instead. He said, 'I prefer the way you do it.' It was creepy, just disgusting."
She also detailed two specific incidents when De Niro allegedly called her a "b****." One occurred when a fire broke out at his New York City townhouse, and Robinson was listed as an emergency contact. De Niro is said to have berated her for attempting to remove her name from the security company's emergency contact list.
The other incident took place in December 2017 when De Niro was reportedly furious over not finding some Christmas presents in the office. Robinson claimed he used offensive language and referred to her as a "b****" during the confrontation.
Robinson, who began working for De Niro as his assistant in 2008, eventually rose to the position of vice president of Canal Productions. She testified that she had a salary of $300,000 when she resigned in April 2019.
De Niro's girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, who has been embroiled in the legal proceedings, slammed Robinson as "psychotic" in a fiery testimony on Thursday.
Chen alleged that Robinson had developed an "imaginary intimacy" with De Niro and pressured him to fire Robinson due to issues related to catering on his private jet and renovations at their Manhattan townhouse.
The trial has revealed a series of hostile email and text exchanges between Chen, Robinson, and De Niro, further complicating the already contentious case. Robinson's lawsuit alleges gender discrimination and claims that she was paid less than a male employee with similar responsibilities.
The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, will determine the outcome of both De Niro's lawsuit against Robinson and her subsequent $12 million counterclaim for emotional distress and reputational harm.
