A U.S. judge has ordered comedian and actor Russell Brand to submit a deposition in an ongoing sexual assault lawsuit filed against him. According to In Touch Weekly, the deposition is scheduled for February 25, 2025, while the accuser, identified as Jane Doe, will give her own deposition on January 21, 2025. The lawsuit, filed in November 2023, claims that Brand exposed himself to the accuser during a 2010 shoot for Arthur, a comedy film in which Brand starred. The accuser testified that Brand appeared intoxicated, had an odor of alcohol on his breath, and had a bottle of vodka on the set. She claimed he followed her into a bathroom and raped her while a crew member stood outside the door. She claims to suffer from extreme embarrassment, shame, and fear from the incident.
Brand has disputed the claims, saying his lawyer, that Brand was not drunk but rather playing at being drunk as part of his acting process. He explained that his role in the 2010 remake of Arthur meant that he had to depict a drunk character, much like Dudley Moore in the 1981 version of the film. His lawyer stated that he did not drink or take drugs at any time during the production.
The case has been ongoing for over a year, and Brand requested the court to dismiss the case last year because the accuser had caused delays. However, during a hearing on December 3, the judge gave more time to the accuser to proceed with the case.
