David Guillod, the co-CEO of talent and literary agency Primary Wave Entertainment, announced he would take an immediate leave from the company Friday while it investigates “Ted” actress Jessica Barth’s accusation that he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2012. Her account was first reported by TheWrap on Thursday.
“Following recently reported accusations, David Guillod is taking a leave of absence from Primary Wave Entertainment, effective immediately, in order for this matter to be thoroughly investigated. We take any accusations of sexual misconduct very seriously. Our company’s greatest strength is our culture of respect, and we have a zero tolerance policy toward harassment or abuse of any kind,” a spokeman for Primary Wave told TheWrap.
On Thursday, Barth approached the LAPD to revive accusations that Guillod, her former manager, drugged and sexually assaulted her after inviting her to a dinner in May 2012. She went to police at the time, but said she did not go forward with the case because Guillod threatened to sue her.
She decided to try to bring charges Thursday after another woman reached out to her to say that she believed Guillod had also drugged and assaulted her.
Guillod’s attorney said Thursday that Barth’s accusations were “fully investigated” by the LAPD in 2012 and that witnesses “completely contradicted” her account.
Barth said that she knew of no witnesses who contradicted her, and said her then-boyfriend and now-husband, Danny Cusumano, corroborated her version of events. He also confirmed her account in a detailed interview with TheWrap on Thursday.
Primary Wave clients include Gina Rodriguez, Gabrielle Union and Emilio Estevez.
Guillod exited UTA in 2009. An individual with knowledge of his employment history said he was asked to leave because of a sexual harassment issue.
He was dismissed from Paradigm in 2011 after he was accused of sexual harrassment of a female assistant there, according to another individual familiar with the situation.
(Update: A month after this article was initially published, a rep for Guillod told TheWrap that he was not asked to leave UTA over a sexual harassment issue, and that he was dismissed from Paradigm over verbal harassment, not sexual harassment.)
He also has an executive producer credit on last summer’s Charlize Theron hit, “Atomic Blonde,” and the television shows “Loudermilk” and “Hit the Road.”
The woman who contacted Barth reached out to her through her #WhoIsYourHarvey campaign, in which she encourages survivors to email the names of their accusers to WhoIsYourHarvey@gmail.com. The woman has declined to be identified.
“Our voice matters! I strongly encourage victims to reclaim their power by continuing to speak out and come forward through whoisyourharvey@gmail.com. It is working,” Barth told TheWrap on Friday. “Our industry is finally developing a zero tolerance policy and that is solely due to the use of our collective voices. While this is a step in the right direction, I will only be fully satisfied when justice is served for all victims who have had to endure his abuse. This ends now.”
Barth has previously come forward with an account of Harvey Weinstein propositioning her. Barth’s “Ted” and “Ted 2” director and co-star, Seth MacFarlane, has said his 2013 Oscars joke about Harvey Weinstein was inspired by Barth telling him about the encounter.