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A few hours after Warner Bros. announced that Chief Executive Officer Kevin Tsujihara would step down, the actress Charlotte Kirk, who allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with him a few years ago, voiced.
"I am deeply saddened by the announcement of Kevin Tsujihara's resignation at Warners," Kirk told Fox News in a statement on Monday. "Our relationship ended many years ago.The publication of the article by the Hollywood Reporter has nothing to do with me."
She continued: "In fact, I have tried to avoid it.All the differences we had in the past have been forgotten for a long time.I wish him only the best of success in his future endeavors. . "
WarnerMedia had previously announced in a statement to Fox News that Tsujihara would no longer hold the position of chairman of the company's board after revelations were revealed to him through a series of text messages promising him role-playing roles. supportive actor and auditions in exchange for a sexual relationship.
WARNER BROS. CEO AND PRESIDENT INVESTIGATED ON SEXUAL IMPACT AT THE HEART OF TEXT LEAVE
"It is in the interest of WarnerMedia, Warner Bros., our employees and our partners that Kevin resigns from his position as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros." said John Stankey, CEO of WarnerMedia. "Kevin has contributed greatly to the success of the studio over the past 25 years and we thank him. Kevin recognizes that his mistakes are inconsistent with the company's expectations of leadership and could affect his ability to perform his duties. "
The statement stated that, despite Tsujihara's resignation, he and the company continued to work with a third-party law firm to carry out an investigation into the alleged misconduct.
Kevin Tsujihara in February 2013.
(AP Photo / Jae C. Hong, File)
No successor has yet been announced.
According to Deadline, Tsujihara explained his decision to leave in a memo to staff: "Over the last week and a half, I've been thinking about how the focus on my past actions could affect the future of society. . After a long introspection and discussions with John Stankey over the past week, we have decided that it is in the best interests of Warner Bros. that I leave my office as Chairman of the Board. "
CHARLOTTE KIRK COVERS SILENCE ON SEXUAL SCANDAL FONDUE WITH WARNER BROS. BOSS
He continued, "I love this company and the people who make it so great. I have been honored to lead this organization and work alongside all of its talented employees over the past 25 years. Together, we built this studio into an undisputed leader in the industry. However, it has become clear that my continued leadership could be a distraction and an obstacle to the continued success of the company. The hard work of all members of our organization is truly admirable, and I will not let media attention to my past detract from the excellent work done by the team. "
The Hollywood Reporter first announced the news of the inappropriate relationship between Tsujihara and Kirk.
Actress Charlotte Kirk in October 2012. (Michael Bezjian / WireImage, File)
The article included SMS between the two dating back to 2013, when they had been introduced by Australian billionaire James Packer in a hotel after midnight. Packer and his associate Brett Ratner were about to enter into a production contract with the studio at that time.
Packer told him to come to the hotel that night for a meeting that would change his life with Tsujihara, who is married.
There followed an alleged sexual relationship between Kirk and Tsujihara, in which she believed herself to promise favorable treatment in the field of entertainment, including seeking roles in Warner TV and in film projects. However, when she was unhappy with the progress made by the three men on this front, she made it clear in the texts that she was going to hold them accountable.
Kirk, who denied any inappropriate behavior with The Hollywood Reporter, issued another statement in his defense after a second article published by the outlet accused him of taking advantage of his relationship with Tsujihara to get a favorable treatment by getting a role in the movie "Hellboy" reset.
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"A lot of things have been written about me over the last week, most assuming guesswork and hearsay, and with the exception of an initial statement made to the Hollywood Reporter, I remained silent . I can not do this anymore. It's bad enough to be defined by others, but when the person she put on the page has no connection with who I am, I feel obligated to speak, "she said. .
"First of all, I want to say that I have nothing to do with the publication of this story. Some assume that I was responsible for publishing the texts, which is simply wrong. When I heard that THR could publish it, I implored them not, but obviously in vain. "
Tyler McCarthy of Fox News contributed to this report.
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