James Toback Ordered To Pay $1.68 Billion To Women Who Accused Him Of Sexual Harassment

Over seven years following accusations from numerous women who alleged director James Toback had subjected them to sexual assault, false imprisonment, coercion, and psychological mistreatment, a New York State court recently ruled in favor of these individuals. The jury decided to award approximately $1.68 billion to 40 victims. This sum includes $280 million in compensatory damages along with $1.4 billion intended as punitive damages for the claimants.

The legal action was initiated under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, establishing a one-year period during which victims of sexual misconduct can pursue civil litigation irrespective of when the incident took place.

\”Este veredicto se trata de justicia. Sin embargo, lo más crucial es arrebatar el poder a los agresores y sus cómplices, devolviéndolo a aquellos que intentaron dominar e silenciar,\” afirmó Brad Beckworth, principal abogado para las partes demandantes.

Today, a jury from the broader New York metropolitan area conveyed a clear message with lasting impact that extends well past these walls of justice: nobody stands above being held responsible. This fight isn’t finished; there remains much ground to cover.

Toback serves as the director of various movies, including several notable ones.
Two Girls and One Boy
was nominated for an Academy Award for writing Warren Beatty\’s
Bugsy
and most recently both wrote and directed
The Personal World of a Contemporary Female
, featuring Sienna Miller and Alec Baldwin.

Actress Mary Monahan, one of the main plaintiffs who initiated the lawsuit, stated: “This isn’t merely a verdict—it’s confirmation. For years, I kept my pain hidden away in silence until today when a jury affirmed our experiences. They validated us. Everything has changed because of this ruling. It’s more than just a figure—it represents an assertion. We aren’t insignificant. We haven’t been untruthful. We weren’t mere casualties in another person’s quest for control. Now, everyone understands what we’ve long endured: his actions were genuine. Moreover, standing firm and voicing our truth—our efforts have proven justified.”

Following the exposure of Harvey Weinstein’s misconduct, rumors regarding James Toback began circulating. In 2017, actress Selma Blair shared an article from The Huffington Post titled “James Toback Gets Us, He Truly Gets Us in \’The Private Life of a Modern Woman’” via Twitter.

Blair appended a single word for comment: \”Irony.\”

Among
the women on record
with
The LA Times
In 2017, the group included Louise Post, who is both a guitarist and vocalist for the rock band Veruca Salt; Starr Rinaldi, an up-and-coming actress discovered by Toback fifteen years prior in Central Park; as well as Karen Sklaire Watson, a drama instructor from New York with experience as an actor and playwright.

“I have called New York City home for 32 years,\” stated Sklaire Watson. \”This recent decision strengthens our community, making it safer for all women like me who consider this place their residence. It sends a clear message: we will not tolerate abusers hiding under the guise of celebrity, wealth, or influence. No longer, and certainly not here.\”

Oscar-winner Julianne Moore later
shared her own story
.

In the \’80s, James Toback confronted me on Columbus Avenue using the same wording—he wanted me to go for an audition, visit his apartment.

“I declined. A month afterward, he approached me with precisely the same wording. I asked him if he remembered doing the exact same thing earlier.”

Furthermore, Today Show host Natalie Morales mentioned that she too had an encounter with Toback similar to Moore\’s experience.

During an interview with USA Today around the same period, actress Ellen Pompeo from Grey\’s Anatomy stated that
there was a situation
Where she instructed Toback to \”go to hell.\” According to Pompeo, this occurred in a public area when they had arranged to meet. She claimed that bringing a male companion along was something Toback did not like.

When my buddy stepped out, he questioned whether I\’d strip for a film,” recounted Pompeo. “I responded with, \’Seriously, man? My pal just walked away for 30 seconds, and this is what you ask? I sort of chuckled right in his face.\’

Toback, who is currently 80 years old, refuted the accusations.
The Times
Adding that for many years, it was \”biologically unfeasible\” for him to participate in the behavior alleged by the women in the story, stating he suffered from diabetes and a heart condition necessitating medication.