A former assistant for Vin Diesel sued the action star in Los Angeles Superior Court Thursday, accusing him of sexually assaulting her in an Atlanta hotel room more than a decade ago.
An attorney for Diesel issued a statement saying the actor "categorically denies" all of the woman's claims.
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The woman alleges she was hired in September 2010 to work as an assistant for Diesel while he was filming "Fast Five," as part of the "Fast & Furious" film series.
According to the lawsuit, she was working one night in Atlanta when Diesel was entertaining several women in his suite at the St. Regis hotel. The plaintiff said she was present primarily to ensure no photos were being taken of the actor, but also "so the women felt more comfortable."
The lawsuit claims that when all of the women left, Diesel forcibly grabbed the plaintiff, groped her chest and kissed her. The plaintiff resisted his advances, but he "ignored" her protestations.
"Vin Diesel then escalated his assault, groped her body, dropped to his knees and pushed (the plaintiff's) dress up, groped her legs and attempted to pull down (her) underwear," according to the lawsuit.
The woman screamed and ran toward a bathroom, the suit contends, but Diesel followed her, pinned her against a wall and began masturbating while leaning against her, the lawsuit contends.
The pair eventually left the hotel, but "mere hours later," the plaintiff received a phone call informing her that she had been fired, a move the suit contends was retaliation for her "courageously resisting Vin Diesel's sexual assault."
The lawsuit contends that the plaintiff remained silent for years, "afraid to speak out against one of the world's highest-grossing actors," but she came forward following the #MeToo movement and legislation extending the statute of limitations on sex assault claims.
In a statement to Variety, Diesel's attorney Bryan Freedman vehemently denied the allegations.
"Let me be very clear: Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety," he said. "This is the first he has ever heard about this more thatn 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly nine-day employee. There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations."
The suit seeks unspecified damages.
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