According to media reports, the Canadian director, screenwriter and Oscar winner Paul Haggis has been arrested in Italy on suspicion of serious sexual assault. As the news agencies Ansa and AGI reported on Sunday, citing the Brindisi public prosecutor’s office, the 69-year-old is said to have injured a “young foreign woman” so much that she needed medical help.
Haggis denies all allegations
Paul Haggis had already been accused of sexual abuse by several women in the course of the scandal surrounding Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. The attacks are believed to have happened between 1996 and 2015. The director is said to have forced a woman to perform oral sex and then raped her.
He forcefully kissed another in 2008. She was able to escape from his office, the lawsuit said. Advertising agent Haleigh Breest also filed a lawsuit in December 2017. The director allegedly raped her in January 2013. At that time she was 26 years old. He denies all allegations.
Nominated five times for an Oscar
Paul Haggis is best known as a screenwriter. However, the Canadian began his career as a fashion photographer in the 1970s. However, the great success did not materialize. Shortly thereafter he tried his hand as a screenwriter for series such as “Love Boat”, “The Best Years” or “Walker, Texas Ranger”.
The real breakthrough came in the early 2000s. Paul Haggis directed the film “L.A. Crash” and wrote the screenplays for “Million Dollar Baby” and “Casino Royale”. He was nominated for an Oscar five times. He was able to win two of the golden boys in 2006 – for “L.A. Crash” as best picture and best original screenplay.
