A prominent Japanese American entertainment mogul is entangled in a Hollywood casting couch scandal that was apparently arranged by Mariah Carey’s ex-fiancé, James Packer.
The sex scandal came to light after dozens of text messages, emails and a draft of a financial settlement were leaked to The Hollywood Reporter, according to WENN.com.
THR revealed the messages appear to show the Australian-born billionaire businessman introducing British actress Charlotte Kirk to Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara.
Tsujihara, 54, is the first Asian American to run a major Hollywood studio.
In the text messages, Packer tells the Ocean’s Eight actress that he has the “opportunity of a lifetime” for her. He suggested a meeting at the Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles.
Packer stressed the importance of his influential friend, promising to introduce the now 26-year-old actress to “the most important man u can meet.”
While Packer, who was briefly engaged to Carey in 2016, didn’t reference the man by name, subsequent texts and emails obtained by THR suggest that the man is Tsujihara.
Desperate text messages from Kirk to Tsujihara appear to suggest he promised to help further her career after they had a brief sexual interlude at a motel.
“You’re very busy I know but when we were in that motel having sex u said u would help me and when u just ignore me like you’re doing now it makes me feel used. Are u going to help me like u said u would?”
Tsujihara responded politely to the actress, apologizing for not returning her messages and suggesting that someone would “reach out tonight.”
The powerful mogul told the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday, March 8, that, while he did have a relationship with Kirk, he only had good intentions.
“We had a brief relationship and I tried to help her career, I genuinely only ever had good intentions for Charlotte,” he confessed.
The draft of the settlement implies Kirk may have been paid hush money sometime after 2013.
The studio has since reported that they are investigating the allegations.
Tsujihara is married to Sandy Tsujihara. They have two children together.
Photos by Drew Angerer/Getty Images, Winston Burris/WENN.com
