Selma Blair says Hollywood director threatened to ‘gouge’ her eyes out if she exposed his alleged misconduct

Selma Blair has described an alleged encounter with filmmaker James Toback in which she says he pressured her to perform a monologue naked and later threatened to gouge out her eyes if she told anyone. She said the experience frightened and traumatised her, and that she remained silent for years because she believed the threat.

Blair’s allegations were included in a 2017 Los Angeles Times investigation that initially reported accusations from 38 women; later reporting put the number of accusers above 300. She went public after Toback called the women liars, and he denied the allegations, saying he had either not met them or could not recall the encounters. Blair also urged women facing similar pressure to refuse.