More than 200 women have come forward to accuse director James Toback of sexual harassment. Source: CBS News
In a matter of four days, more than 200 women have come forward to accuse director James Toback of sexual harassment and rape.
These women volunteered their stories after the LA times published an exposé in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, revealing that 38 women accused the writer-director of sexual harassment and assault.
Among them are Selma Blair and Rachel McAdams, who both claim they were harassed at the hands of the 72-year-old after being invited to an audition at his hotel room.
And both told Vanity Fair that they decided to come forward about their experiences after reading the confessions of other women, and after watching Toback vehemently deny all of the allegations.
Both actresses have said the assaults took place when they were at the beginning of their careers and were offered a role in the upcoming movie Harvard Man - which came out in 2001.
McAdams was 21 and "in the middle of theater school" when she says she went to audition with Toback.
After a promising audition, the 38-year-old said the director complimented her and told her she was talented and that he would like to workshop the piece with her.
The night Tobeck called to invite McAdams to his hotel, she said he told her he has masturbated to her and asked to see her pubic hair. Photo / Getty
That night he called to invite her to his hotel, and though she didn't want to go, she claims he told her this was the only opportunity because he was going out of town early the next morning.
Once she got there it was a matter of minutes before the conversation turned sexual, the Mean Girl and Notebook actress claimed.
"He said, 'You know, I just have to tell you. I have masturbated countless times today thinking about you since we met at your audition.'" she says he told her.
McAdams said he then started using manipulative language, asking her how brave she was and how far she was willing to go "as an actress."
That kind of language was similar to what she was used to at school, and so though she says she felt manipulated, she held onto hope that it was a test.
After reading lines for the director, she said Toback went to the bathroom and then came back and told her he had just masturbated thinking about her, and asked to see her pubic hair.
She said no, and eventually was able to excuse herself, but she said she felt like she was in the room "forever."
"This has been such a source of shame for me - that I didn't have the wherewithal to get up and leave," she said.
"I was very lucky that I left and that he didn't actually physically assault me in any way."
Selma Blair's experience with the director was similar, and made her feel "powerless and scared", the MailOnline reported.
The 45-year-old said she met Toback when she was still a budding young actress and her representatives set up a meeting between the two.
Selma Blair's experience with the director was similar, and made her feel 'powerless and scared.' Photo / Getty
Toback told her agents he would only meet in his hotel room, but Blair, feeling uncomfortable, said she would rather meet at the restaurant.
Though he agreed to meet there, when Blair arrived she said a hostess came over to her and told her that Toback couldn't come downstairs and that she should meet him upstairs in his hotel room.
"Against my better judgment, I went upstairs," she said. "Looking back, I don't think James Toback ever planned to come down to the restaurant."
The Legally Blonde and Cruel Intentions actress said that when she met him in the hotel room he seemed calm and confident, but didn't say the same about her.
"He pulled out the script and said, 'I look at you, and I see that we have a real connection. You could be an incredible actress, just by your eyes, but I can tell you don't have confidence.'" she said.
The conversation then turned to her parents, and she revealed that she had an estranged relationship with her father, to which the director replied "I could have him killed. I do it all the time, I know people."
Though she was nervous, she said she really thought he would end up being her mentor.
About 40 minutes into the meeting, Blair said Toback told her to take her clothes off and "do this monologue naked."
"I said, 'why would my character need to be naked? She is a lawyer in a courtroom,'" Blair said.
"He said, 'Because I need to see how your body moves. How comfortable you are with your body. This is where I start training you.'"
She expressed that she was uncomfortable, but she said he continued to coax her and told her that it wasn't a come on, and that he "wanted to make me a good actress."
So she took off her top, which only made her feel embarrassed and ashamed.
Then, she claims, Toback asked her to have sex with him. When she tried to say no and leave, she said he blocked the door and told her: "You have to do this for me. You cannot leave until I have release."
She still refused to have sex with him or touch him, at which time she claims he told her to look into his eyes and pinch his nipples while he rubbed himself against her leg.
"I thought, 'Well, if I can get out of here without being raped...'" she said.
While it was happening she said she tried to look away, but that he held onto her face and forced her to look into his eyes.
Toback denied the allegations as soon as they came out, but also went so far as to claim he has never met any of the then-38 accusers. Photo / Getty
"I felt disgust and shame, and like nobody would ever think of me as being clean again after being this close to the devil. His energy was so sinister," Blair said.
When he was done, Blair claims he threatened that if she "went against him," he would have her killed.
"I have people who will pull up in a car, kidnap her, and throw her in the Hudson River with cement blocks on her feet. You understand what I'm talking about, right?" she claims he told her.
Blair said she told him she understood, and then left "shaking and scared."
"My career was just starting, and I was frightened. I thought I was going to be kidnapped if I told anybody," she explained.
Blair initially came forward with her allegations anonymously to the Los Angeles Times, but said that she decided to forgo anonymity after becoming enraged when he denied all of the claims.
Toback denied the allegations as soon as they came out, but also went so far as to claim he has never met any of the then-38 accusers. He says that if he did, in fact, meet them, that the meetings were brief and insignificant.
He also said that due to diabetes and heart problems, it would be biologically impossible for him to do the things he has been accused of over the past 22 years.
"When he called these women liars and said he didn't recall meeting them and that the behavior alleged could not be attributed to him, I just felt rage and an obligation to speak publicly now," Blair said.
"I want to bring as much awareness to this harassment as possible because I want Toback to be held accountable."
McAdams said that she decided to come forward because she thinks some good could come from it.
"I did not want to talk about this ever again. However, even though it is a really bad memory, I feel like some good could come from talking about it now," she said.
