Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to provide outtakes from the 2011 film Arthur as part of a civil sexual assault case involving comedian Russell Brand. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by a woman identified as Jane Doe, accuses Brand of exposing himself and sexually assaulting her on set.
The footage, which may amount to eight hours, was mentioned during a recent New York Supreme Court hearing. Patrick Lamparello, an attorney representing Warner Bros., told the court that the company was willing to release this previously unseen material in connection with the ongoing case. Brand and Warner Bros. have both denied the allegations.
In the lawsuit, Doe alleges that Brand exposed himself to cast members and later followed her into a bathroom where he sexually assaulted her while a crew member stood outside the door. Brand has denied the accusations, with his legal team arguing that the claims are false.
The case in New York is taking place amid criminal charges Brand faces in the United Kingdom. Last week, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that Brand was charged with five counts of sexual assault, including rape. He is scheduled to appear in a U.K. court on May 2. Brand has denied the charges, stating that he has never engaged in non-consensual activity.
At the New York hearing, Brand’s legal team sought to delay the civil proceedings, arguing that they could overlap with the criminal case in the U.K. However, the request was denied by Judge Shlomo Hagler. Brand’s attorney, Mark Cuccaro, told the court that his client feared criminal prosecution in the U.S. as well, despite no open investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Cuccaro claimed that Brand believed there was a “reasonable possibility” of a criminal case in the U.S. based on similar allegations.
In a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times, the plaintiff described the alleged incident on the Arthur set, stating that she felt used and dehumanized. She explained that she feared coming forward because she believed any complaints would be ignored due to Brand’s status. “I felt used and abused. Disgusting is the only word,” she said. “Everyone usually turns a blind eye to bad behavior on a set. If I had come forward and said something, what are they going to do? Are they going to fire Russell Brand, or are they going to fire me?”
Despite these allegations, Brand has continued to deny any wrongdoing. His career, which included notable roles in Arthur and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, has been marked by a blend of comedic success and controversy. He has also become a prominent figure in online commentary, with a significant following on social media platforms.
