Porn star James Deen hit with lawsuit over documentary

Porn star James Deen is facing a lawsuit over a rape documentary.
The adult actor, who teamed up with Lindsay Lohan in The Canyons, is accused of trying to sabotage the release of a documentary he commissioned by taking signed releases from a producer’s office.
According to the New York Post’s Page Six, Deen hired Maria Demopoulos to direct a film about his life in 2015, just before he was accused of raping two unidentified actresses.
The first cut of the film did not include the rape accusations, but the documentary footage was re-recorded after the allegations against Deen surfaced in 2015 and 2016. In July, 2016, Deen watched the new version of the documentary and asked for changes to be made. Months later, according to the director, Deen showed up to a producer’s office and asked for the documentary footage and the signed releases, without which Demopoulos could not complete the documentary.
“This was all captured on security footage,” the legal papers read. “Defendant James Deen maliciously refused, and continues to refuse, to return the original releases, thereby hijacking the Picture to the substantial detriment of Plaintiff, as well as that of her Producer and of Showtime.”
Deen has reportedly claimed that because Demopoulos was hired by bosses at his production company, Seven Sins, he is able to assert when it can be released.
“These are my binders,” an email from Deen reportedly reads. “They will stay with me. I also will be picking up copies of the footage as soon as they are able to transport it onto drives.”
Demopoulos claims she is owed at least $150,000 (£116,000) for her work.
The director is reportedly accusing Deen of fraud, conversion, and breach of fiduciary duty.