Who is Paul Schrader? Writer of Taxi Driver accused of s*xually harassing assistant

The screenwriter of the Academy Award-nominated film Taxi Driver, Paul Schrader, has recently been accused of s*xually harassing his former personal assistant, who has chosen to identify herself as Jane Doe. He is also accused of refusing to pay her a settlement to which he previously agreed, according to Variety.

Paul Schrader, considered to be one of the top screenwriters in Hollywood, is also a filmmaker and is widely known for his collaboration with the legendary and Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese. Schrader and Scorsese have worked on critically acclaimed films like Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, Bringing Out the Dead, and Taxi Driver, as mentioned before.

Schrader gained serious attention and received critical acclaim after writing Taxi Driver, which eventually turned into a cult classic, garnering him global recognition and cementing his position as an exceptional screenwriter in Hollywood. Besides writing screenplays, Schrader is also a filmmaker and has directed movies such as First Reformed, American Gigolo, Cat People, and many more.

He recently directed Oh, Canada, a drama film starring Richard Gere, Uma Thurman, Michael Imperioli, Jacob Elordi, and others. The movie revolves around a famous Canadian documentary filmmaker who narrates his life story in an honest interview with one of his former students, which is shot in the presence of his wife.

Let's take a closer look at Paul Schrader's s*xual assault lawsuit filed against him by his former assistant

As per Variety, Schrader's 26-year-old former assistant, who decided to identify herself as Jane Doe, accused him of s*xually assaulting her, alleging that he grabbed and kissed her without her consent. The alleged incident took place last year while Schrader and his former assistant attended the premiere of his recent film, Oh Canada, at the Cannes Film Festival.

Following that, three days later, Schrader's former assistant alleged that the 78-year-old screenwriter requested her to visit him in his hotel room, claiming that he was "dying," and then flashed her. According to the Associated Press, Jane Doe was fired by Schrader in September 2024. And as far as the lawsuit is concerned, Schrader agreed to a settlement on February 5, 2025, but after an illness, he had a change of heart.

Paul Schrader's lawyer, Philip J. Kessler, said:

"The agreement that they’re trying to enforce against Mr. Schrader, in plain English, required both parties to sign it before it became legally effective. Mr. Schrader declined to sign it. It’s frankly as simple as that."

According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe worked with Schrader for 3 years, from 2021 to 2024. Kessler mentioned that Doe was quite satisfied with her job and used to often post on social media about how much she enjoyed and loved her job. She also referred to Schrader as her "mentor."

Jane Doe's lawsuit against the multiple award-winning screenwriter also claimed that he constantly professed his love for her and that he wished to touch her, both in writing and verbally. The lawsuit quotes one of the emails he allegedly sent to her. Read it below:

"I sense you are uncomfortable with my affection for you. Sometimes I get the feeling (not today) that you are afraid I might touch you… I cringe at the thought you fear I might touch you."

During Jane Doe's employment, she alleged that Schrader asked her inappropriate s*xual questions and made lewd and misogynistic comments.