Oscar nominated and Grammy-winning composer Danny Elfman has been accused in lurid detail of sexual misconduct.
A woman, referred to as Jane Doe, has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court. Accusing Elfman and his company, Musica de la Muerta, of sexual assault, gender violence, emotional distress, sexual harassment, and negligence between 1997 and 2002. According to court documents, the accuser met Elfman in New York when she was 21, and their relationship initially seemed professional. He treated her as a consultant and protegé, seeking her opinions on films and music, hoping to boost her career.
However, their relationship took a disturbing turn when Elfman allegedly frequently appeared fully nude in front of the plaintiff. Claiming it was essential for his creativity and success. The accuser also claimed to have slept in the same bed while he was nude and she was fully clothed. Shockingly, Elfman eventually confessed to masturbating during these encounters, leading to the plaintiff ending their association.
This isn’t the first time Elfman has faced such allegations. Previously, composer Nomi Abadi accused him of exposing himself and masturbating without her consent. A settlement was reached in 2018, but Elfman was sued in July 2023 for failing to pay a portion of the settlement. Elfman denied that he sexually harassed Abadi in the Rolling Stone article. Issuing a statement that said, “Ms. Abadi’s allegations are simply not true.”
He has collaborated with Tim Burton on the films Batman and Edward Scissorhands, and with Sam Raimi on Spider-Man and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He earned Oscar nominations for Men in Black, and Good Will Hunting. Elfman is set to participate in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl from Oct. 27-29. Elfman has opted for silence as his representatives denied to comment.
