Once Upon a Time's Michael Coleman accused of sexual harassment - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 02-22-2018, 05:23 AM

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...claims-1087250

Coleman, who recurred in more than 30 episodes of the ABC drama as the dwarf Happy, has stepped down from a Vancouver arts school he co-owned amid sexual harassment allegations. Coleman agreed to sell his ownership stake and resign as artistic director at SchoolCreative: Institute for the Arts.

JamesG · 03-09-2018, 10:15 PM

Michael Coleman Responds to Sexual Harassment Claims Against Him
by Etan Vlessing
March 9, 2018

"Once Upon a Time" actor Michael Coleman on Friday denied allegations of sexual harassment made against him, calling them "harmful and unfounded."

Coleman, who played the dwarf character Happy on the ABC series, in December stepped down from a Vancouver arts school he co-owned amid sexual harassment allegations. After a Vancouver press conference on Friday during which he claimed he'd "done nothing wrong," Coleman addressed four separate allegations of sexual harassment during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Coleman said one woman had retracted her allegation by writing a letter to UBCP/ACTRA, the British Columbia actors union, to say he did not sexually harass her. He added that a second woman's complaint involved a fake Twitter account where someone else was apparently impersonating the veteran actor online.

That left another two accusers, who, like the others, remain anonymous. Coleman said the third complainant, a young actress he worked with as an acting coach, apparently objected to auditioning at his home while wearing a bikini, as required by the script breakdown.

"At no time did she ever rehearse at my house in her bikini, or anything silly like that," he insisted. The same actress subsequently performed in an indie film Coleman directed that included a skinny-dipping scene.

Coleman said that, just hours before shooting, the actress declined to wear a skin-tone costume available to all the actors in the scene and then agreed to wear one — a series of decisions that raised a red flag for one of the film's producers, who confronted the director.

"She never performed nude, she had requested to perform nude, and she did a wonderful job in the film," Coleman said.

A fourth allegation involves an unnamed actress who alleges Coleman attempted to kiss her while coaching her for an audition scene and, on another occasion, allegedly put her hand on his groin area. Coleman refutes the first claim by insisting he was out of the camera frame during the kissing scene, barring him from physically coming near her.

And he recounted the second incident involving the same actress, which he said took place over breakfast before a theater rehearsal. "I said something funny, she laughed and went to slap my thigh and hit me on top of my pants. I reached down because I'd just been slapped, and when I looked up, I saw she was starting to tear," Coleman told THR.

"I asked her what was wrong, and she said, 'I can't believe I grabbed your penis.' I assured her that I didn't think she had grabbed my penis on purpose, it was an accident, and I did not believe in any way, shape or form, she did it intentionally," he added.

Coleman said the actress recounted the breakfast incident on Oct. 30 when addressing a town hall hosted by the UBCP/ACTRA union in Vancouver, where women belonging to local guilds and unions were encouraged to raise concerns or allegations in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in Hollywood.

Coleman insisted none of the four accusers have made a formal complaint against him, including in civil or criminal courts. He added that he has retained a defamation lawyer to weigh the "harmful, unfounded accusations made against me," but he has no plans for now to take legal action against his accusers.

"I believe they’ve been caught up in this movement, and I do not wish them any repercussions," he said.

Coleman has pulled out of a planned appearance at a "Once Upon a Time" fan convention in Vancouver, where the series is shot, that is set for March 14-16.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...ms-him-1093511

02-22-2018, 05:23 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,676	Once Upon a Time's Michael Coleman accused of sexual harassment https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...claims-1087250 Coleman, who recurred in more than 30 episodes of the ABC drama as the dwarf Happy, has stepped down from a Vancouver arts school he co-owned amid sexual harassment allegations. Coleman agreed to sell his ownership stake and resign as artistic director at SchoolCreative: Institute for the Arts.

03-09-2018, 10:15 PM	#2
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 56,966	Michael Coleman Responds to Sexual Harassment Claims Against Him by Etan Vlessing March 9, 2018 "Once Upon a Time" actor Michael Coleman on Friday denied allegations of sexual harassment made against him, calling them "harmful and unfounded." Coleman, who played the dwarf character Happy on the ABC series, in December stepped down from a Vancouver arts school he co-owned amid sexual harassment allegations. After a Vancouver press conference on Friday during which he claimed he'd "done nothing wrong," Coleman addressed four separate allegations of sexual harassment during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Coleman said one woman had retracted her allegation by writing a letter to UBCP/ACTRA, the British Columbia actors union, to say he did not sexually harass her. He added that a second woman's complaint involved a fake Twitter account where someone else was apparently impersonating the veteran actor online. That left another two accusers, who, like the others, remain anonymous. Coleman said the third complainant, a young actress he worked with as an acting coach, apparently objected to auditioning at his home while wearing a bikini, as required by the script breakdown. "At no time did she ever rehearse at my house in her bikini, or anything silly like that," he insisted. The same actress subsequently performed in an indie film Coleman directed that included a skinny-dipping scene. Coleman said that, just hours before shooting, the actress declined to wear a skin-tone costume available to all the actors in the scene and then agreed to wear one — a series of decisions that raised a red flag for one of the film's producers, who confronted the director. "She never performed nude, she had requested to perform nude, and she did a wonderful job in the film," Coleman said. A fourth allegation involves an unnamed actress who alleges Coleman attempted to kiss her while coaching her for an audition scene and, on another occasion, allegedly put her hand on his groin area. Coleman refutes the first claim by insisting he was out of the camera frame during the kissing scene, barring him from physically coming near her. And he recounted the second incident involving the same actress, which he said took place over breakfast before a theater rehearsal. "I said something funny, she laughed and went to slap my thigh and hit me on top of my pants. I reached down because I'd just been slapped, and when I looked up, I saw she was starting to tear," Coleman told THR. "I asked her what was wrong, and she said, 'I can't believe I grabbed your penis.' I assured her that I didn't think she had grabbed my penis on purpose, it was an accident, and I did not believe in any way, shape or form, she did it intentionally," he added. Coleman said the actress recounted the breakfast incident on Oct. 30 when addressing a town hall hosted by the UBCP/ACTRA union in Vancouver, where women belonging to local guilds and unions were encouraged to raise concerns or allegations in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in Hollywood. Coleman insisted none of the four accusers have made a formal complaint against him, including in civil or criminal courts. He added that he has retained a defamation lawyer to weigh the "harmful, unfounded accusations made against me," but he has no plans for now to take legal action against his accusers. "I believe they’ve been caught up in this movement, and I do not wish them any repercussions," he said. Coleman has pulled out of a planned appearance at a "Once Upon a Time" fan convention in Vancouver, where the series is shot, that is set for March 14-16. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...ms-him-1093511