Who Is James Toback, The Director Accused Of Sexual Harassment By 38 Women?

Thirty-eight women have come forward to accuse director James Toback of sexual harassment, in the wake of similar accusations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

According to Los Angeles Times, the women claimed they had negative encounters with the 72-year-old Bugsy writer, with a number of them speaking on the record over the allegations.

The women told the paper that they had "meetings framed as interviews or auditions [that] quickly turned sexual," claiming that during these meetings they were asked inappropriate questions, such as "How often do you masturbate?" or "How much pubic hair do you have?" the Times reported.

Toback has worked in the movie industry for more than 40 years, most notably getting an Oscar nomination for best screenwriting for the 1991 drama film Bugsy. He also won the Regal Knockout Award for his 2008 documentary Tyson, about the boxer and convicted rapist, Mike Tyson.

During that time, the women, who did not contact the police at the time of the alleged incidents, said Toback had called them into meetings and masturbated in front of them.

One woman, Louise Post, now a guitarist with alternative rock band Veruca Salt, said she had carried around the incident with Toback for three decades.

"He told me he'd love nothing more than to masturbate while looking into my eyes," Post told the newspaper. "Going to his apartment has been the source of shame for the past 30 years, that I allowed myself to be so gullible."

Post's band tweeted in support of her allegations, sharing the #metoo hashtag that has seen women sharing their own stories of sexual assault in solidarity with other victims.

"Us too: by bosses, boyfriends, male babysitters, taxi drivers, strangers and movie director/pig #jamestoback #metoo," the band wrote on its Twitter account.

And more recently, actress Adrienne LaValley alleged that in 2008 Toback had attempted to rub himself against her, ejaculating in his pants in front of her.

"The way he presented it, it was like, 'This is how things are done,'" LaValley said.

"I felt like a prostitute, an utter disappointment to myself, my parents, my friends. And I deserved not to tell anyone," she added.

Of the 38 women who shared their stories with the Times, more than 30 spoke on record about the allegations, which were denied by the director.

In a statement to the Times, Toback denied he had met the women who made the allegations, or that if he had met them it "was for five minutes and have no recollection."

Toback also claimed it was "biologically impossible" for him to have carried out the acts he had been accused of.

The allegations against the director come in the wake of the Weinstein allegations of sexual assault and rape that have left Hollywood reeling. At least 40 women have come forward about Weinstein.