Hollywood movie producer Jordan Ancel has accused fellow producers of allegedly attempting to smear his name by accusing him of sexual assault and sexual harassment, allegedly in retaliation over the others falling out of favor with the cast and crew and losing control of the production of the new film "The Unseen," according to a new lawsuit.
Jordan Ancel filed a new civil suit on May 12 in Cook County Circuit Court against fellow movie producers Jennifer Karum and Monica Ruiz. Ryan Atkins is named as a respondent in discovery.
Karum is also known as Jennifer Goodman.
Alexander Loftus
| Loftus & Eisenberg
Ancel is accusing Goodman of allegedly making false defamatory remarks accusing Ancel of sexual assault and harassment, which he said were intended to discredit him within the industry and among his peers. Ancel named Ruiz as a reported co-conspirator for allegedly propagating Goodman's remarks while adding public and private statements of her own, allegedly with further reckless intent.
Ancel alleges these remarks, ongoing to date, have cost him future contracts and collaborative opportunities resulting from the impact of the defendants' supposed combined efforts, which asserts were unfounded malicious attacks. In his complaint, Ancel contends that prior to these alleged falsehoods being broadcast, his reputation was untarnished and only suffered shortly after he was hired by Goodman and Ruiz to produce "The Unseen," a new film written by Goodman.
According to Ancel's complaint, during the first round of production on "The Unseen" in April 2022, Goodman's role on set began to fall back, bringing Ancel to the forefront. Ancel states this caused discord between them and alleged hostility toward the crew. The crew is alleged to have sided with Ancel, according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, the situation on set allegedly deteriorated to the point at which the crew allegedly threatened a walk-out if Goodman wasn't banned from the set.
According to the suit, it was around that same time that Goodman allegedly began spreading alleged falsehoods to multiple colleagues of Ancel's, accusing Angel of alleged sexual assault and alleged harassment against other female cast and crew members. According to the complaint, Goodman allegedly claimed Ancel was not trustworthy, was an instigator and suggested other producers in Los Angeles were having issues with him. According to the complaint, Goodman allegedly told others that Ancel was not to be trusted and should not be hired.
The complaint included text and direct messages and later posts allegedly made on social media in which Goodman allegedly implored colleagues of Ancel not to hire or refer him. At this point, the complaint asserts Goodman's colleague Ruiz came to her aid in support, allegedly echoing many of the alleged false statements, allegedly calling him an abuser of women who could not be trusted.
Further, Goodman is accused of creating fake social media accounts posing as "friends" of Ancel's, further maligning his character in posts and chats, allegedly to create the illusion of legions of haters.
Goodman, a multi-hyphenate writer-actor-director-producer is best known for her recent role opposite Bob Odenkirk in television series "Better Call Saul," and as writer/creator/producer and in the starring role as Kate Conrad, a female detective on the autism spectrum, in the series "Conrad."
Hollywood movie producer Jordan Ancel is known for award winning shorts, including "Marrying Jake Gyllenhal" and "Good Guys with Guns", before his most recent cinematic collaboration with Goodman and Ruiz in "The Unseen". He is also a photographer and entrepreneur, having launched several successful entertainment startups. He is currently the Chief Creative Officer of the entertainment startup MediaU, and sits on the board of the developing theme park, Game Nation, Inc.
Ancel is seeking damages on two main counts in this lawsuit. He has accused Goodman and Ruiz of defamation of character for alleged false statements and unprivileged publication of the statements to third parties, and false light invasion of privacy for allegedly portraying Ancel in a false light as a sexual predator and for casting aspersions on his professional accomplishments.
Ancel is demanding a trial by jury and is seeking punitive damages, as well as compensatory damages estimated in excess of $1 million each against Goodman, Ruiz and potentially Atkins, should he later be named as a defendant.
Plaintiff is represented by attorneys Alexander N. Loftus and Ross Good, of the firm Loftus & Eisenberg, of Chicago.
"The Unseen," which stars "Breaking Bad" actor RJ Mitte, is scheduled for a June 2023 release.