Selma Blair says director threatened to kill her if she spoke up about assault

Selma Blair wants jail time for James Toback years after the disgraced director allegedly sexually assaulted her in a hotel room and threatened to murder her and gouge her eyes out if she didn't keep quiet.

Blair, who first came forward about the disturbing experience in October, said Tuesday she's lived in fear for the 17 years since "The Pick-up Artist" director made the threatening comments.

"This was weighing on me; I'd literally been afraid for 17 years of James Toback, who'd threatened to murder me, you know, put cement shoes on and gouge my eyes out with a big pen if I ever told anybody," she said on "The Talk" on Monday.

Blair added that the #MeToo movement has been "a long time coming," and that it was the outpouring of allegations against Harvey Weinstein that inspired her to do a little digging into whether or not others had similar stories regarding Toback.

"I started looking on Twitter, and the hashtag James Toback, and there were a couple inklings and I was like, 'Oh, wait.' And I got in touch with these women... I wouldn't go on the record, I was afraid," she said.

But once Toback went on the record calling his accusers vulgar names, Blair felt it was finally time to come forward.

"I said, if I can be a bigger voice, I will. I do think James Toback belongs in jail... People have come to me personally that he's done much worse to. I do believe he deserves to be in jail," she said.

Blair is one of more than 350 women who have accused Toback of sexual assault.

The "Cruel Intentions" actress, 45, initially told Vanity Fair about the encounter, in which Toback implied he'd have her kidnapped after a business meeting took a nasty turn.

Blair alleged that she arrived in his hotel room and was promptly met with a barrage of uncomfortable comments, including a bizarre offer to have her estranged father killed.

She said he also asked her to perform a monologue naked, and made rude comments after she stripped off her sweater.

As she went to leave the hotel room, Blair said Toback rubbed his genitals on her pants and demanded sex.

She added he'd have her kidnapped and thrown into the Hudson River if she ever spoke up, alleging that he was prepared to do just that to a "girl who went against me."

Toback has denied all allegations against him, though the Los Angeles police department and district attorney are currently weighing charges.

MORE

» James Franco accused of sexually inappropriate behavior by 5 women, including 4 students

» Golden Globe winner James Franco accused by actresses of inappropriate sexual behavior

» James Franco denies sexual misconduct allegations against him

» Matt Lauer 'weak and broken and ashamed' after firing, friend says

» Matt Lauer's anonymous whistleblower at 'Today' is 'terrified,' her lawyer says

» Roman Polanski won't face child molestation charge; statute of limitations expired

About the Author