After the 'No Time to Die' director is accused of 'abuse of power' when interacting with young women on sets, his attorney insists that 'there is nothing salacious about pursuing friendships or consensual romantic relationships with women.'

• Jun 1, 2022

AceShowbiz - Cary Fukunaga is being accused of inappropriate behavior with young women on multiple sets. Anonymous sources from the production of upcoming AppleTV+ miniseries "Masters of Airs" claimed to have witnessed the filmmaker engaging in "absolute, clear-cut abuse of power" when interacting with young female actresses and crew members.

Two sources took for an instance an interaction that unfolded in front of them, during which Fukunaga took pictures with two background actresses, one of who had recently turned 18, allegedly egged them on while they posed suggestively, bent against a wall and kneeling on the ground. One of the sources saw it as a red flag.

"It was way past the line," the source told Rolling Stone of the interaction. "There's no sort of argument … that it is OK in any way. It's an absolute, clear-cut abuse of power." His goal, they alleged, is to engage in romantic relationships.

One unidentified woman who reportedly dated him after they met on set said a "heavy weight" was "lifted" after they parted ways. "When I thought about him, I just wanted to vomit," she told the news outlet. "I just thought I was really crazy, because he treated me like trash towards the end."

Another crew member claimed Fukunaga's persistence advances made her uncomfortable, voicing concern that her career could have been put in jeopardy when she tried to turn him down and he wouldn't take the hint. Another source alleged he sidelined her for a job opportunity, asking her out instead, a claim which Fukunaga has denied.

Responding to Rolling Stone's report, Fukunaga said in a statement provided through his lawyer that he "takes pictures of actors - men and women, young and old - on his sets all of the time" and "[t]o imply anything improper about doing so is false and defamatory." His lawyer also stressed that Mr. Fukunaga "has befriended men and women, young and old" on set.

Attorney Michael Plonsker insisted his client has "not acted in any manner that would or should generate" an article focusing on claims of misconduct made against him. "There is nothing salacious about pursuing friendships or consensual romantic relationships with women," Plonsker said. He also noted that “no one ever - not once - voiced such sentiments” of the claims to Fukunaga, believing "he creates a work environment that is creative, collaborative and welcoming to all."

The inappropriate behavior allegations come after 23-year-old actress and skateboarder Rachelle Vinberg recently alleged on Instagram that Fukunaga groomed her when he approached her at a skate park and asked her to audition for a Samsung commercial he was directing. She was 18 at the time. "I spent years being scared of him," Vinberg wrote on Instagram. "Man's a groomer and has been doing this s**t for years. Beware, women."

Model Lizzie Swanson reshared Vinberg's post and wrote that she "knew Cary for a time and though he never physically acted upon anything, the emotional and mental patterns and manipulative tactics" she experienced with the director "are very, very much the same" as those referred to by Vinberg and other women.

"It's disgusting," she added in a written message. "I believe them and stand by them fully. He needs to be stopped." Swanson later clarified in a note to Rolling Stone that she's "not a victim in any sense but want to actively support those who have been hurt by him."

Responding to Vinberg's claim, Plonsker confirmed that Fukunaga "had a very brief and consensual romantic relationship with [Vinberg] that has ended" and suggested the skateboarder "clearly was not happy" with him since the split.