Robert De Niro accused of gender discrimination

Los Angeles: Hollywood veteran Robert De Niro has been accused of gender discrimination by ex-employee Graham Chase Robinson.

Robinson has filed a USD 12 million lawsuit against DeNiro for fostering an abusive working environment for women.

According to People magazine, the complaint contains a link to a profanity-laden voicemail De Niro allegedly left her in which he raged, "How dare you f*****g disrespect me?"

"De Niro made demands of Ms. Robinson that he never imposed on males," said Robinson's lawyer, Alexandra Harwin of the firm Sanford Heisler Sharp.

"De Niro's treatment of Ms. Robinson was inappropriate, demeaning, abusive, and intolerable, and he needs to be held accountable," she added.

In the suit, Robinson also alleges that she was underpaid compared to her male colleagues and was often given "female duties like housework".

"Robert De Niro is someone who has clung to old mores. He does not accept the idea that men should treat women as equals. He does not care that gender discrimination in the workplace violates the law. Ms. Robinson is a casualty of this attitude," the lawsuit reads.

De Niro's attorney Tom Harvey said in a statement, "The allegations made by Graham Chase Robinson against Robert De Niro are beyond absurd."

Robinson's lawsuit comes as a counter to USD 6 million suit De Niro's company filed against her in August, accusing her of embezzling money and binge-watching Netflix while on the job.