Actress in sex-for-roles scandal says she wants to be judged on her merits

The actress whose secret sex with the married CEO of Warner Brothers ended his career when his promises to reward her with movie roles were revealed today breaks her silence to tell DailyMailTV today: ‘I am not a victim.’

Charlotte Kirk was just 21 when she had sex with Kevin Tsujihara, 28 years her senior, with the Hollywood executive promising to help her acting career after their rendezvous in a motel in 2013.

But last month her texts to Tsujihara, his friend Australian billionaire James Packer, who was also her lover, and film director Brett Ratner leaked – and Tsujihara stepped down from his position as one of the movie world’s most powerful men.

It was widely seen as a moment of vindication for the MeToo movement that a CEO’s casting couch sex with an actress decades his junior had cost him his job and millions of dollars in pay and bonuses.

But British actress Kirk tells DailyMailTV in her first television interview that she does not see what happened as part of MeToo and says: ‘I don’t consider myself a victim then because it was my choice.

‘I wasn’t forced into anything and I did what I wanted to do – good or bad. I would make completely different choices now and I regret doing that.’

Charlotte Kirk was 21 years old when she had sex with Kevin Tsujihara, with the Hollywood executive promising to help her acting career after their rendezvous in 2013. Kirk, now 26, had her texts to Tsujihara, his friend Australian billionaire James Packer, who was also her lover, and film director Brett Ratner leaked, leading to Tsujijhara’s exit from Warner Bros 

Charlotte Kirk is at the center of a sex for roles scandal after her fling with Warner Bros boss Kevin Tsujihara, who allegedly promised to find movie roles for her, was revealed

Kevin Tsujihara lost his job after his sex with British actress Charlotte Kirk, who he allegedly tried to land roles for, was revealed

But British actress Kirk tells DailyMailTV in her first television interview that she does not see what happened with Tsujihara (right) as part of MeToo and says: ‘I don’t consider myself a victim then because it was my choice’ 

New role: Charlotte Kirk is to play Nicole Brown Simpson, O.J. Simpson's murdered wife, in the forthcoming Nicole & O.J. It is slated for release in 2019 and directed by Kirk's rumored former boyfriend, Joshua Newton, 49. She says she was cast on her own merits, not because of Kevin Tsujihara

New role: Charlotte Kirk is to play Nicole Brown Simpson, O.J. Simpson’s murdered wife, in the forthcoming Nicole & O.J. It is slated for release in 2019 and directed by Kirk’s rumored former boyfriend, Joshua Newton, 49. She says she was cast on her own merits, not because of Kevin Tsujihara

Now she says she wants to be judged on her own merits as an actress – saying that her latest roles were gained entirely without the help of any powerful Hollywood sponsors.

‘I have been thrust into the limelight and no one had heard of me before this. My intention was to make a big bang in the world but not for this, for my work,’ she said.

‘It’s terrible but I’m trying to reverse that by showing people my abilities.’

Sensational texts with a film backer 

After meeting Kevin Tsujihara in early 2014, Charlotte Kirk texts James Packer: ‘His [sic] not very nice. He just wants to ****, nothing else, does not even want to say anything!’

March 2014, Tsujihara to Kirk: ‘I’ve got a dinner in santa monica next Thursday night – u want to meet up after?? We’re also beginning to cast some cable tv pilots.’

September 2014, Kirk to Tsujihara: ‘So your going to speak with Richard [Hollywood producer Richard Brener]?’

October 2014, Kirk to Packer: ‘Putting me in one of your many movies shouldn’t be a big deal… I did help u out with Kevin which was hard for me but I did it for you.’

When Kirk then threatened legal action, Packer replied: ‘Can’t wait tough girl… Get back in your box or let’s fight.’

March 2015, Kirk to Tsujihara: ‘When we were in that motel having sex u said u would help me and when u just ignore me – it makes me feel used.’ 

She also said that far from being the source of the texts which cost the Warner Bros CEO his job, she had ‘begged’ for them not to published and felt sorry for what had happened to the former movie mogul.

Until his fall, Tsujihara had been the architect of successes including Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and was forced out on March 18 just two weeks after being given an expanded role in the company. He has denied he influenced casting decisions but said his leadership was a ‘distraction’ when he stepped down. 

Kirk’s road to becoming a public example of the casting couch began when she was 19 and moved from her childhood home in Bexleyheath, south-east London, to Los Angeles in the hope of breaking into Hollywood.

Living alone in a rented studio apartment, she embarked on a revolving door of auditions and acting classes to build on her time at stage school at the Italia Conti School of Acting in London.

‘It was really scary and lonely. It was tough because I had no family or friends there,’ she said.

Within months, however, she had met Brett Ratner, the director of movies including the Rush Hour series of movies and X-Men: The Last Stand, who introduced her to Packer, 25 years her senior and married with a two-month-old daughter. 

Packer is Australia’s ninth-richest man, with a net worth of $3.4 billion, according to Forbes. His marriage collapsed and he later had a broken engagement with Mariah Carey.

Kirk and Packer began a months-long affair in November 2012 and in September the next year, Packer introduced Kirk, by then 21, to Tsujihara, texting her at midnight: ‘I have the opportunity of a lifetime for u.

‘Come to [the Hotel] Bel air now. U will never be able to pay me.’

Packer said she would be meeting ‘the most important man u can meet’. Kirk made her way to the hotel – and met with Tsujihara.

Later, Kirk wrote to Packer: ‘His [sic] not very nice! Very pushy!! He just wants to f*** nothing else does not even want to say anything!’

Packer responded, asking if she was okay and told her: ‘Be cool.’

At the time, Tsujihara was negotiating a Warner Bros. deal with Packer and Ratner’s RatPac-Dune Entertainment for $450million in movie financing. The Hollywood Reporter said the deal closed three days later. 

Within months of moving to Los Angeles, Kirk met Brett Ratner, the director the Rush Hour series of movies and X-Men: The Last Stand, who introduced her to Australian billionaire James Packer. The two began a months-long affair in November 2012 and in September the next year, Packer introduced Kirk, to Tsujihara, texting her: 'I have the opportunity of a lifetime for u'. Pictured l-r: Packer, Ratner and Tsujihara in 2015

Within months of moving to Los Angeles, Kirk met Brett Ratner, the director the Rush Hour series of movies and X-Men: The Last Stand, who introduced her to Australian billionaire James Packer. The two began a months-long affair in November 2012 and in September the next year, Packer introduced Kirk, to Tsujihara, texting her: ‘I have the opportunity of a lifetime for u’. Pictured l-r: Packer, Ratner and Tsujihara in 2015

The messages between Kirk and Tsujihara, who remains married to his wife Sandy (pictured together), suggest a sexual relationship between the actress and the studio head in which he made promises that he would introduce her to influential executives and she would be considered for roles in movies and television

The messages between Kirk and Tsujihara, who remains married to his wife Sandy (pictured together), suggest a sexual relationship between the actress and the studio head in which he made promises that he would introduce her to influential executives and she would be considered for roles in movies and television

Tsujihara and Kirk had clandestine hook-ups at hotels around LA. In one message Tsujihara wrote: ‘Wish I was doing something else.’

Kirk replied: ‘Mmmm such as? …. I remember how good you were at Mmmm. Your a giver ;)’

She then texted him about potential auditions. Tsujihara said that he would talk to a colleague and then asked her to meet up with him the following week after a dinner he was attending.

‘We’re also beginning to cast some cable tv pilots that I’ll look into as well,’ he texted.

Around a year after the first meeting, the relationship appeared to have cooled but Kirk continued to send texts to Tsujihara, Packer and Ratner. 

Kirk was later cast in small roles in 2016’s How To Be Single and 2018’s Ocean’s 8, both made by Warner Brothers. Tsujihara has denied influencing her casting.

 You know what u need to do. U haven’t even come close to doing it. If you thought I would be so easily manipulated you’re wrong.

Kirk to Ratner in July of 2015 

She told DailyMailTV: ‘Ocean’s 8 was awesome. I was shooting alongside Sandra Bullock.

‘I had some scenes with Sandra Bullock and there’s downtime as well, so it was great talking to her. She was just a normal, humble, lovely person. How To Be Single, same thing, great cast.’

She added: ‘I was still working my way up at that point and I hadn’t done so much then.

‘The lead roles were already taken so I auditioned for those two roles. My agent got me the audition. I walked in the room and got those roles on merit.’

In March 2015, Kirk texted Tsujihara and appeared to be unhappy about her role in How To Be Single, which starred Dakota Johnson and Rebel Wilson.

‘Kevin? A two liner?? U have got to be kidding me!!’ she texted, according to THR.

In July 2015, Kirk then texted Ratner: ‘You know what u need to do. U haven’t even come close to doing it. If you thought I would be so easily manipulated you’re wrong.’

He replied: ‘What are u talking about? I told u i would get Richard to talk to u…. And he did. He is the key to getting work…. I don’t work for u. Why are u so unappreciative?’ 

Tsujihara and Kirk had clandestine hook-ups at hotels around LA. In one message Tsujihara wrote: 'Wish I was doing something else.' Around a year after the first meeting, the relationship appeared to have cooled but Kirk continued to send texts to Tsujihara, Packer and Ratner

Tsujihara and Kirk had clandestine hook-ups at hotels around LA. In one message Tsujihara wrote: ‘Wish I was doing something else.’ Around a year after the first meeting, the relationship appeared to have cooled but Kirk continued to send texts to Tsujihara, Packer and Ratner

Kirk told married Tsujihara that she felt used when movie roles she said he'd promised never materialized in a series of leaked text message between the former lovers. He has denied influencing casting decisions about the actress 28 years his junior

Kirk told married Tsujihara that she felt used when movie roles she said he'd promised never materialized in a series of leaked text message between the former lovers. He has denied influencing casting decisions about the actress 28 years his junior

Kirk told Tsujihara that she felt used when movie roles she said he’d promised never materialized in a series of leaked text message between the former lovers. He has denied influencing casting decisions

In May 2016, a settlement for Kirk was being discussed between Kirk's lawyer, Raymond Markovich, and Ratner's attorney, Hollywood legal heavyweight, Marty Singer. It even had what appears to be a vehicle to pay Kirk - a project called From Autism to A-List, a reference to Kirk's diagnosis with Asperger's Syndrome. But the deal was never signed - and last month, Kirk, Packer, Ratner, and most of all Tsujihara were hit by a bombshell: the leak of the texts

In May 2016, a settlement for Kirk was being discussed between Kirk’s lawyer, Raymond Markovich, and Ratner’s attorney, Hollywood legal heavyweight, Marty Singer. It even had what appears to be a vehicle to pay Kirk – a project called From Autism to A-List, a reference to Kirk’s diagnosis with Asperger’s Syndrome. But the deal was never signed – and last month, Kirk, Packer, Ratner, and most of all Tsujihara were hit by a bombshell: the leak of the texts

By the end of August 2015, relationships were strained and Ratner accused Kirk of extortion.

‘You can’t take back the extortion u have committed because u have sent text and emails asking for these auditions and jobs,’ he reportedly texted, adding that she had landed a role in How To Be Single.

She replied: ‘Brett you’re an idiot I’m not extorting anyone.’

In May 2016, a settlement for Kirk was being discussed between Kirk’s lawyer, Raymond Markovich, and Ratner’s attorney, Hollywood legal heavyweight, Marty Singer.

It even had what appears to be a vehicle to pay Kirk – a project called From Autism to A-List, a reference to Kirk’s diagnosis with Asperger’s Syndrome, which puts her on the autism spectrum.

But the deal was never signed – and last month, Kirk, Packer, Ratner, and most of all Tsujihara were hit by a bombshell: the leak of the texts.  

Kirk strongly denies leaking the hundreds of texts that were exchanged by herself and the three men.

Kirk told DailyMailTV: ‘The Hollywood Reporter said they were going to leak [sic] the story and I begged them not to. They went ahead and done it. It’s frustrating.

‘There’s really two main points – this happened a long time ago, first of all.

‘Second of all, it wasn’t me that released the [texts]. I didn’t and I tried to stop it.’

The actress is baffled as to why the text messages had been made public now but her representative said the actress was barred from saying who she suspected of revealing them for ‘legal reasons.’

The reaction to the texts was explosive – and bitterly felt by Kirk.

Tsujihara stepped down as Warner Bros CEO after the bombshell report. 

‘I’m very sad that it’s happened. We hadn’t spoken for a long time. Hopefully he goes on to other things. I wish him success,’ Kirk said.

Packer and Ratner – who has faced other accusations of sexual misconduct – have not contacted Kirk since the scandal emerged. Nor has she reached out to them. 

‘I don’t see the point,’ Kirk said. ‘None of us have spoken in a very long time.’ 

Kirk herself faced a backlash but said she would not be ‘scared off’ social media. Although she was being bombarded by messages, about half were supportive.

 It’s a disaster that it came out but if you look for a positive, it’s happened now and I can’t go back. But people know who I am.

‘Some of them assume that I released the texts and this happened yesterday. They don’t actually read my statements so that’s frustrating,’ she said’I read them and then I block them because they don’t deserve to be on my Facebook or Instagram accounts. They are trolls.

‘If I had a horrible review or comment on my work that would hurt me.

‘There’s been really nice people who say positive things. ”Hang on in there, we’ve seen you in stuff, you’re great, it’s a bad patch.”

She added: ‘My mum is very upset by the whole thing. She suffers from anxiety anyway, so it’s not helping her nerves that’s for sure. I’m just trying to block it out really and focus on my work as best as I can.’

She is now determined that she is seen as an actress in her own right –  and says that the fall of Tsujihara should let people see her in that light.

‘I think it’s going to help the movies that I’m doing,’ she told DailyMailTV.

‘It’s a disaster that it came out but if you look for a positive, it’s happened now and I can’t go back. But people know who I am.’

Kirk has completed work on a new film, Nicole & O.J., based on the true crime story of the murder of the football star’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, in 1994, of which O.J. was tried and later acquitted. 

It is slated for release in 2019 and directed by Kirk’s rumored former boyfriend, Joshua Newton, 49. 

Charlotte Kirk tells DailyMailTV how the scandal has affected her mother Angie: 'My mum is very upset by the whole thing. She suffers from anxiety anyway, so it's not helping her nerves that's for sure. I'm just trying to block it out really and focus on my work as best as I can.'

Charlotte Kirk tells DailyMailTV how the scandal has affected her mother Angie: ‘My mum is very upset by the whole thing. She suffers from anxiety anyway, so it’s not helping her nerves that’s for sure. I’m just trying to block it out really and focus on my work as best as I can.’ 

Kirk has completed work on a new film, Nicole & O.J., based on the true crime story of the murder of the football star's wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, in 1994, of which O.J. was tried and later acquitted. It is slated for release in 2019 and directed by Kirk's rumored former boyfriend, Joshua Newton, 49

Kirk has completed work on a new film, Nicole & O.J., based on the true crime story of the murder of the football star's wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, in 1994, of which O.J. was tried and later acquitted. It is slated for release in 2019 and directed by Kirk's rumored former boyfriend, Joshua Newton, 49

Kirk has completed work on a new film, Nicole & O.J., based on the true crime story of the murder of the football star’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, in 1994, of which O.J. was tried and later acquitted. It is slated for release in 2019 and directed by Kirk’s rumored former boyfriend, Joshua Newton, 49 (right)

Other new role: Kirk is also due to star in horror movie, The Reckoning, bout witch hunts during the Great Plague in 17th century England. It is directed by her boyfriend, Neil Marshall, 48, an Emmy nominee

Other new role: Kirk is also due to star in horror movie, The Reckoning, bout witch hunts during the Great Plague in 17th century England. It is directed by her boyfriend, Neil Marshall, 48, an Emmy nominee

Kirk is also due to star in horror movie, The Reckoning, directed by her boyfriend, Neil Marshall, 48, an Emmy nominee.

The Reckoning, which Kirk co-wrote, is about witch hunts during the Great Plague in 17th century England, the last outbreak of the disease which devastated the medieval world.

Kirk said: ‘We’re going to Hungary in five to six weeks. Because it’s medieval, they have all the sets built there. We’re currently casting.

‘With Nicole Brown Simpson and The Reckoning, I have leading roles. I’m carrying the movie, so the preparation is very thorough.’ 

She said both movies were proof of her own acting skills and proof that her entanglement with Hollywood scandal would not damage her.

‘It’s all about the work, it’s all about the craft,’ she told DailyMailTV.

‘Look at my work, look what’s on the screen. Judge me on that, not on anything else.  

‘If I didn’t believe in myself as an actor and if I knew that I wouldn’t be putting good work out there, then I think yes [my career would be damaged],’ she said.

‘Right now, it’s affected my career but I think when people see my work on screen they hopefully will say, “We judged her wrong.”‘

Kirk makes clear she does not consider herself a victim of sexual assault or misconduct but does believe that she was ‘naïve’ and ‘gullible’ when she arrived in Hollywood as a teenager, a trait that she says she struggles with due to a diagnosis of Asperger’s, which puts her on the autism spectrum.

She said: ‘I trusted everyone. I took everyone on their word. And part of that was because I was 19, a baby, part of that was Asperger’s believing everything you’re told.

‘I’ve come across lots of good and lots of bad people and sometimes it’s hard to sift through because everyone’s very nice to you [in Hollywood]. It’s hard to believe or trust what people say.

‘I was insecure and naive and trusted everyone. That was a big mistake. I shouldn’t have trusted everyone. I’ve come a long way and I totally don’t trust anyone now.

‘In a way, it has made me stronger. I’m not quite where I want to be yet. I’m only just getting started really.’

Kirk said she believed she could benefit from the scandal because people knew that she did not have help to get her latest roles.

‘Kevin unfortunately has lost his job but he stood down. Hire me on my merit and what they see. Even more so now, they can say, ‘Okay well there’s nothing to hide. Kevin’s not there anymore,”‘ she said,

‘It’s not going to hurt my career because I’m not going to allow it to hurt my career. I think I still have a hell of a long way to go.

‘From 19 to 26, I’ve spent that time nurturing my craft. I think the more you’ve gone through, the more life experience you’ve had – good and bad – makes you a better person and it makes you a fantastic actor.

‘Once you’ve had a lot of s*** happen to you, it makes you a bloody good actor.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk