And the Oscar for the World’s Best Boss goes to ….Robert DeNiro!
The recent rift between the Hollywood veteran royalty and his former assistant raises a discourse of what accounts for a toxic work culture and what is valid criticism/feedback.
On October 30, 2023, the Oscar-winning actor appeared before the court over a lawsuit filed by his former assistant, Graham Chase Robinson, 41, who was employed with the actor from 2008 to 2019 under DeNiro’s company Canal Productions.
Graham Chase Robinson has accused DeNiro of gender discrimination, retaliation charges, verbal abuse, and inappropriate behavior. Robinson was initially designated as the Vice President of Production and Finance at Canal Productions before being appointed as a full-time assistant to the actor.
Who Is Graham Chase Robinson?
Graham Chase Robinson was recruited at Canal Productions, Robert DeNiro’s loan-out company, in 2008. She soon rose the corporate ladder, earning an executive position as the Vice President of the production and finance department.
Out of their internal agreement, Chase Robinson started working as the “Taxi Driver” actor’s personal assistant. The crack in their professional relationship began then.
Per her account, Robinson was not in a conventional work setup, where her tasks became more bizarre and out of her job description by the day. She decided to end her contract in 2019.
But before she could even reveal her experience, the 37-year-old was slapped with a lawsuit of $3 million by DeNiro and Canal Productions.
In the latest update, some of the former and current employees of Canal and TriBeCa Productions have testified against Robinson, describing in great detail how she exploited her position, used company resources, and manipulated by using DeNiro’s name to get favors.
However, Robinson has also filed a lawsuit in return against DeNiro for being a boss from hell.
Why Is Robert De Niro in Court?
While “serving” as DeNiro’s assistant, Robinson noticed a shift in his behavior. She claims that the actor displayed misogyny and assigned her conventionally “female duties” even though she worked at an executive level.
She stated in the trial that–
“Robert De Niro is someone who has clung to old mores. He does not accept the idea that men should treat women as equals. He does not care that gender discrimination in the workplace violates the law. Ms. Robinson is a casualty of this attitude.”
Here are the bullet points of her accusations against DeNiro–
#1 Stereotypically Women’s Tasks:
DeNiro demanded she handle menial tasks. In one instance, he asked her to scratch his back instead of using the back-scratcher device.
He also asked her to do his laundry and arrange his clothes. In a completely inappropriate context, DeNrio referred to her as his “Office wife,” making her run errands.
#2 Girlfriend Interference:
Robinson also alleged that DeNiro’s girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, looked at her with suspicions of developing a romantic relationship with the “Casino” actor.
DeNiro also said–“She felt there was something there, and she may have been right,” regarding his girlfriend’s suspicions.
#3 Verbal Abuse and Inappropriate Comments:
Robinson claims that the “Raging Bull” actor often lashed out at her calling her “b*tch” and, on one occasion, using the vulgar remark of “cu*t” for her.
The lawsuit also mentions that DeNiro made inappropriate advances at her, stating that he made “gratuitous unwanted physical contact,” and “sexually charged comments.”
She claims that he berated her, calling her “petulant,” “snippy,” and a “f***ing spoiled brat.” In another accusation, she said that DeNiro would call her while he was urinating.
[Disclaimer: All these statements are allegations by Graham Chase Robinson, and the verification of these are still undetermined.]
On the other hand, Robert DeNiro counter-claims that Robinson has spent an exorbitant amount of the company’s credit on her personal needs. He stated that she used up his airplane credit points on herself. She also indulged in fine-dine and allegedly watched 55 hours of television while “on the clock” work hours.
Robinson is suing DeNiro for $12 million, and the trials are still ongoing.
What is your take on this case? Do you think that DeNiro would display such unethical behavior? Is Robinson actually a worse boss for those working under her?
Who do you think is right in the “He said-She said” lawsuit?
Let us know in the comments section below.
