The Fast & Furious star Vin Diesel is being sued by his former assistant, Asta Jonasson, who alleges that he sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 2010. Jonasson claims that Diesel restrained and groped her before masturbating in front of her, according to the lawsuit filed on Thursday.
Jonasson worked as Diesel’s personal assistant from 2009 to 2013, and says that she was subjected to a hostile work environment, harassment, and discrimination based on her gender and sexual orientation. She also accuses Diesel of making homophobic and sexist remarks, and threatening to fire her if she reported his behavior.
Diesel, whose real name is Mark Sinclair, is one of the world’s highest-grossing actors, known for his roles in The Chronicles of Riddick, XXX, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has not yet commented on the allegations, but has previously denied any wrongdoing in similar cases. In 2018, he was accused of sexually harassing a Brazilian journalist during an interview, but he dismissed the claim as “ridiculous”.
The lawsuit comes amid a wave of sexual misconduct allegations against powerful men in Hollywood and other industries, sparked by the #MeToo movement. Diesel is not the first actor to face such accusations; others include Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, and James Franco.
Jonasson is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial. She is represented by attorney Lisa Bloom, who has also represented other victims of sexual abuse and harassment.
