New York: In a historic ruling under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, Oscar-nominated Hollywood director James Toback has been ordered to pay a staggering $USD1.68 billion in damages after being found liable for multiple cases of sexual assault, coercion, and psychological abuse.
The monumental verdict, delivered by a New York jury on Wednesday, marks one of the largest financial penalties ever awarded in a sexual assault case. The sum includes $280 million in compensatory damages and a further $1.4 billion in punitive damages, awarded to dozens of survivors who came forward with harrowing accounts spanning decades.
Toback, best known for his Oscar-nominated screenplay Bugsy and most recently for The Private Life of a Modern Woman starring Sienna Miller and Alec Baldwin, was among the first high-profile figures named in the #MeToo movement in 2017. Allegations against him sparked widespread outrage and inspired more women in the industry to break their silence.
One of the victims, actress Mary Monahan, spoke out following the ruling, calling the verdict a moment of long-awaited justice.
“This is not just a verdict—it’s validation,” Monahan said in an emotional statement. “For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything.”
Despite the court’s findings, Toback has repeatedly denied the allegations, claiming his health conditions made the behavior described “biologically impossible” for decades. However, testimony from multiple women painted a chilling portrait of a man who allegedly preyed on aspiring actresses under the guise of casting calls and industry opportunities.
Among the most vocal accusers were A-list stars such as Selma Blair, Julianne Moore, and Ellen Pompeo, who shared disturbing stories of Toback’s persistent and inappropriate behavior.
Julianne Moore recalled being approached twice in the 1980s by Toback with identical lines inviting her to “audition” at his apartment. “I said, ‘Don’t you remember? You did this before,’” Moore shared publicly.
Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo also recounted a chilling encounter where Toback asked her to strip for a role after her male friend briefly left the room. “I laughed in his face,” she told USA Today. “It was outrageous.”
Rachel McAdams, known for Mean Girls and The Notebook, described being lured under the pretense of a rehearsal, only to be sexually propositioned.
“It was all so confusing,” McAdams recalled. “Eventually I just realised that it wasn’t [above board].”
The case was made possible under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year window allowing victims of sexual abuse to file civil claims regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.
As survivors around the world react to the landmark judgment, legal experts say the decision could set a new precedent for how high-profile sexual abuse cases are handled in civil courts.
The verdict sends a powerful message to survivors: justice, though delayed, is still possible.
