Noel Clarke was told the #MeToo movement “began to catch up” with him, as he took the stand for the first time in his libel trial against the Guardian newspaper on March 10, according to BBC News and the Guardian’s own reporting.
“In 2019, the #MeToo movement began to catch up with you and women began talking about your sexual misconduct,” said Gavin Millar KC, cross-examining Clarke for the Guardian News and Media (GNM)
The trial began at the London High Court on Friday, March 7, with Clarke taking to the witness box for the first time yesterday (Monday 10).
The actor, writer and producer is suing GNM for libel over eight articles published between 2021 and 2022. In these, more than 20 women accuse Clarke of sexual misconduct. He denies the allegations. GNM is defending its reporting as being both true and in the public interest.
“They [the Guardian] have smashed my life for years with this rubbish,” said Clarke to Millar, according to a BBC News report. “You know what you’re doing. You make me sick, I would not do this.”
Clarke said he did not remember an incident where he allegedly made an inappropriate sexual suggestion to a female costume assistant while working on BBC series Doctor Who.
“I don’t remember that incident, I don’t remember the woman in question. So I say it didn’t happen,” said Clarke, according to the Guardian’s news report.
“It didn’t happen or you don’t remember it?” asked Millar. “It didn’t happen,” responded Clarke.
He accused Mila (whose name is changed for legal reasons), one of the women making allegations against him, of lying. Mila is an actress who claimed Clarke made sexually inappropriate comments during a scene in which she was required to strip and obtained intrusive footage of her which he then shared.
“She regrets the fact that people can look back and see a film where she was semi-nude … If she regrets that there is nothing I can do about it,” Clarke said. “I’m sorry about that because she’s lying.”
Clarke was also questioned about Thalia Hambi-Fisher, a choreographer and dance teacher who claimed that, during a 2009 lunch with the actor, he asked her to go to the bathroom and take sexually explicit photos for him.
“That doesn’t sound like something I would say,” said the actor.
When asked if he liked seeing such pictures, he responded, “I can’t say no to that completely.”
Clarke was then asked whether that would constitute sexual harassment, to which he responded, “In today’s lens, if it was said, sure. In 2008 or 2009 it might have been a cheeky comment.”
He also criticised Millar for “attacking my art” amid questioning about his conduct during sex scenes in films he was directing.
The BBC reported Clarke “became emotional and tearful” during the cross-examination, while the Guardian said the proceedings were “often combative”. The trial is scheduled to last for six weeks; with Clarke expected to give evidence until Wednesday March 12.
Clarke’s outstanding contribution to British cinema honorary Bafta award was suspended in April 2021 after the initial Guardian report into the allegations.
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