American actress and producer Eliza Dushku testified about her sexual harassment allegation against NCIS star Michael Weatherly on sets of “Bull” and how CBS attempted to forcefully enter her into the arbitration process in a trial on Tuesday in front of the House Judiciary Committee.
In 2018, an insider revealed that CBS tried to pay $9.5 million in a settlement to Eliza after she was written off the project “Bull” as she complained about Michael Weatherly’s inappropriate behavior. Since the first-choice star of Bull was testifying this Tuesday, she was able to openly talk about her experience on the sets of the show that otherwise, her non-disclosure agreement would not have allowed her.
“In 2017, I was aggressively pursued by CBS to become a co-lead in a show called ‘Bull.’ I was told that the role would be a six-year commitment to play a smart, strong leading lady — a competent, high-powered lawyer meant to counterbalance the existing male lead — and that the role had been written specifically with me in mind. However, in my first week on my new job I found myself the brunt of crude, sexualized and lewd verbal assaults. I suffered near constant sexual harassment from my co-star,” said Eliza in a taped testimony.
Eliza Dushku, who is known for her famous work in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” recalls the remarks she encountered during the shooting including her former co-star referencing her as “legs” and his inappropriate statements about his sperm of which Eliza was clear that they were not part of the show script.
In 2018, the accused made a statement saying he “made some jokes mocking some lines in the script” and apologized for his behavior at that time.
On Tuesday, the Democrats on the committee released Eliza Dushku’s testimony. They took to Twitter and said, “WATCH:
@ElizaDushku shares her personal story of the sexual harassment she faced at CBS and the secret arbitration process she was forced to enter. #EndForcedArbitration.”
In her testimony, Eliza Dushku said she could break her non-disclosure agreement by testifying, but “countless others who are bound by arbitration are not so fortunate.”
