Robert De Niro Testifies in Lawsuit Filed by Former Assistant, Calls Accusations ‘Baseless’

In a New York City courtroom on Monday, Robert De Niro provided his testimony in response to a lawsuit filed by his former personal assistant, Graham Chase Robinson. The assistant accuses the actor of being an overbearing employer. De Niro, who appeared visibly restrained during the proceedings, ultimately proclaimed, “This is all baseless!”

De Niro, an acclaimed actor with two Oscars for his roles in films such as “The Deer Hunter” and “Raging Bull,” was the inaugural witness in the trial. The litigation centers on employment disputes with Robinson, who served De Niro from 2008 until 2019 and was compensated with an annual salary of $300,000 in her role as Vice President of Production and Finance.

Robinson, whose responsibilities ranged from decorating De Niro’s Christmas tree to accompanying him to the hospital following accidents, has filed a lawsuit seeking $12 million for extreme emotional distress and damage to her reputation. She alleges that De Niro declined to provide her a job reference after her 2019 resignation, which followed ongoing conflicts with his girlfriend.

During his lengthy afternoon testimony, De Niro, aged 80, confirmed that he had once designated Robinson as his emergency contact and had also entrusted her with personal tasks such as preparing greeting cards for his children. However, when queried by Robinson’s attorney about her performance, De Niro responded dismissively, stating, “Not in light of the current situation.”

Throughout the hearing, De Niro’s temperament flared up twice. On one occasion, he fervently defended his girlfriend’s interactions with Robinson, asserting, “We make decisions collectively.” The other instance was when Robinson’s counsel implied that De Niro had inconveniently contacted Robinson early in the morning to transport him to the hospital back in 2017. “That was a single incident where I injured my back!” De Niro sharply retorted. He further explained that he had refrained from calling Robinson immediately, choosing to contact her several hours after the incident.

Judge Lewis J. Liman repeatedly had to clarify the permissible scope of De Niro’s testimony during the session. De Niro’s request to pose a question to Robinson’s attorney was declined.

De Niro maintained that he had treated Robinson respectfully, citing as an example that he had entrusted her with overseeing preparations for his relocation to a new five-bedroom townhouse in Manhattan, which he shared with his girlfriend, Tiffany Chen. “It’s not as if I’ve asked her to perform menial labor,” De Niro commented, reiterating that the lawsuit was “all baseless.”

Documents presented to the jury showed that Chen grew increasingly wary of Robinson, suspecting that she harbored delusions of a close relationship with De Niro. De Niro supported his girlfriend’s apprehensions, stating, “She may have had a point.”

In opening remarks preceding De Niro’s testimony, attorney Andrew Macurdy claimed that Robinson has been jobless and has largely remained indoors since her departure from De Niro’s employ. He accused De Niro of exhibiting sexist behavior towards Robinson, mirroring his alleged general disposition toward women.

Macurdy also said that Chen became envious of the rapport between De Niro and Robinson, although he insisted that there had never been a romantic element to their relationship.

In contrast, Richard Schoenstein, De Niro’s legal counsel, portrayed Robinson as someone who was well-treated but who “always felt she deserved more.” He depicted De Niro as a “kind, reasonable, and generous” employer. Schoenstein also described Robinson as “patronizing, belittling, manipulative, and perpetually portraying herself as the victim.” He noted that Canal Productions, De Niro’s company, has filed a countersuit against Robinson.

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More about Robert De Niro Lawsuit

• Robert De Niro’s Filmography
• About Canal Productions
• Employment Lawsuit Legal Framework
• Emotional Distress Claims in Lawsuits
• New York City Court System
• Gender Discrimination and Sexism in the Workplace
• Understanding Counterclaims in Legal Disputes