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Actor Warren Beatty was accused of grooming and coercing a teenager into having sex with him back in 1973, a lawsuit filed on Monday alleged.
The lawsuit was filed by Kristina Charlotte Hirsch in a Los Angeles Superior Court, and while it does not name Beatty specifically, it alleges that the defendant was a "well-known Hollywood star" who was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Clyde in Bonnie and Clyde, a title that is only held by Beatty, now 85, from the 1967 film.
According to Variety, the suit alleges that Hirsch was 14 or 15 years old when she met Beatty on the set of a movie, in which he allegedly paid "undue attention" to her and "commented repeatedly on her looks." Beatty would have been around 35 years old at the time.
It continued to allege that Beatty invited her to the hotel he was living at, called her numerous times, and took her on car rides. Hirsch admitted in the lawsuit that she had been "thrilled by the attention and invitation."
It stated that he offered to help her with her homework and commented to her several times about losing her virginity.
The defendant then "used his position and status as an adult and a Hollywood movie star to coerce sexual contact with Plaintiff on multiple occasions, including oral sex, simulated sex and finally coerced sexual intercourse with the minor child," the suit alleged.
The suit went on to say that because of the alleged abuse, Hirsch has since had difficulty interacting with people and has suffered "substantial emotional distress, anxiety, nervousness, anger and fear." The lawsuit requested a jury trial for the charges.
Newsweek reached out to a representative for Beatty for comment.
Warren is known for his roles in Bonnie and Clyde, Dick Tracy, and The Only Game in Town, among many others.
Recently, actor Kevin Spacey has also been accused of sexual assault. The 62-year-old actor faced four counts of sexual assault and another sexual offense earlier this year against three men, and in October, was found not liable for battery in a sexual misconduct lawsuit brought by fellow actor Anthony Rapp.
The rape trial of That 70's Show actor Danny Masterson also began in October, after he was accused of allegedly raping three women back in the early 2000s. He was first accused of sexual assault in 2017 at the height of the #MeToo movement, which shone a light on the crimes of Harvey Weinstein and other Hollywood celebrities.
Updated 11/09/2022, at 5:16 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.
About the writer
Emma Mayer is a Newsweek Culture Writer based in Wyoming. Her focus is reporting on celebrities, books, movies, and music. ... Read more