A veteran agent for youth talent has been fired after multiple men came forward on social media accusing him of sexual assault and harassment.
Tyler Grasham had been put on leave on Wednesday while APA talent agency investigated allegations of sexual assault, which first came to light after filmmaker and ex-child star, Blaise Godbe Lipman, shared a letter toFacebook and Instagram on Monday as part of the #MeToo campaign.
But on Friday, APA announced through a spokesperson that the prominent agent had been terminated, following more accusations of misconduct by other male actors and filmmakers.
Tyler Grasham (pictured) was fired from APA talent agency on Friday following sexual assault and harassment allegations made by multiple male actors and filmmakers
‘Stranger Things’ star Finn Wolfhard left the Los Angeles-based talent agency this week after allegations of misconduct emerged (pictured with Grasham)
Lipman, 28, wrote: ‘Tyler Grasham, under the pretense of a business meeting regarding potential agency representation at APA Agency, fed me alcohol while I was underage and sexually assaulted me.
‘APA Agency has kept this man employed, working with kid actors. I find it incredibly difficult to believe they do not know of his predatory behavior, using his position within the company to prey on naive kids,’ he said in the post.
While at first Lipman did not name Grasham, he later said the agent ‘poked’ him on Facebook after he shared the letter, which prompted him to name him and provide additional details of the alleged abuse.
Grasham was first called out by filmmaker and ex-child star, Blaise Godbe Lipman (pictured) in a #MeToo letter shared to Facebook and Instagram Monday
Lipman said the incident happened at business meeting regarding potential agency representation
The filmmaker then shared further information on the shocking revelation, confirming it was written by him in an interview with Deadline, where he said he was about to turn 18 one summer when the agent got him ‘drunk at a meeting to talk about business.’
He added: ‘We were at his apartment when he got on top of me and fondled me. I pushed him off without trying to upset him.
‘It was a very precarious position to be in, not to insult someone who was in a position of power.’
After Lipman shared his story, more men came forward claiming they suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Grasham.
Film and TV editor Lucas Ozarowski, 27, shared on Thursday that in January 2016, the disgraced agent tried getting him drunk at his home so he could take advantage of him.
On Thursday, film and TV editor Lucas Ozarowski, 27, shared that the disgraced agent one tried getting him drunk at his home so he could take advantage of him
‘Tyler Grasham brought me to a party for another APA Agent at the Sandbox. He kept handing me drinks, one after another, until I had to start leaving them in the bathroom,’ Ozarowski wrote on Facebook.
‘My phone was left at his house charging so I couldn’t even leave if I wanted to. We finally got back to his place. As I was sitting on his couch preparing to call an Uber he pulled my pants open and aggressively grabbed my genitalia. I had to forcibly remove his hand and got up and left his house,’ he continued.
Ozarowski also shared screenshots of an alleged conversation with Grasham, where the agent seems to admit to ‘groping’ the filmmaker and repeatedly hits on him, not stopping even after being asked to multiple times.
Orphan Black star Jordan Gavaris, 28, also accused Grasham of sexual abuse on Friday
Gavaris said Grasham threatened to harm his career if he didn’t ‘join his roster’
‘Stop. I flirt. Don’t be such a grump,’ reads one of the messages that Ozarowski claims are from Grasham.
‘You can give me back rubs and cuddle with me every night,’ reads another.
Orphan Black star Jordan Gavaris, 28, also accused Grasham of sexual abuse on Friday.
‘When I was 21, Tyler Grasham repeatedly harassed me about my sexuality, and forcibly implied he could “protect me” if I joined his roster,’ he tweeted, adding that the agent told him if he didn’t comply his career ‘may be derailed’.
Additionally, a report by the Wrap published on Friday claimed that in 2015 Grasham contacted a then-16-year-old boy on Instagram.
Brady Lindsey, now 19, said the agent professed his desire to be his boyfriend.
“I didn’t know who he was. He said he was a big-time agent in L.A. and he worked at APA,”
Canadian child actor Finn Wolfhard, 14, known for his role as Mike Wheeler in the hit Netflix series ‘Stranger Things,’ parted ways with the agent and the company all together this week after the claims surfaced.