Court Rejects Danny Elfman's Motion to Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit Filed by Nomi Abadi
Danny Elfman has lost his bid to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by composer Nomi Abadi regarding statements he made to Rolling Stone in 2023. The statements were related to a sexual harassment settlement involving a former protégé.
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Photo Credit: Sachyn / CC by 3.0
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gail Killefer rejected Elfman's attempt to have the case dismissed. Elfman had claimed his comments were protected free speech and covered by litigation privilege, as they were allegedly made in anticipation of suing Rolling Stone - a lawsuit that never materialized.
Judge Killefer ruled that "the litigation privilege does not apply to defendant Elfman's statements," noting that litigation against Rolling Stone was not seriously contemplated at the time.
Elfman's attorney, Camille Vasquez (known for representing Johnny Depp), stated they plan to appeal the decision. "We respectfully disagree with the court's ruling and are optimistic that the Court of Appeal will agree with us that this case ought to be dismissed," Vasquez told Variety.
The lawsuit stems from Abadi's July 2023 filing, which alleges Elfman defamed her by making false statements to Rolling Stone, including denials of sexual misconduct. The case involves a previous non-public settlement and nondisclosure agreement between Elfman and Abadi, following allegations of sexual misconduct between 2015 and 2016. Abadi had separately sued Elfman for failing to pay the full settlement amount of $830,000.
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