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‘Bull’ Star Eliza Dushku Opens About Departure, Behind the Scenes Harassment

She left the hit CBS series Bull after playing J.P. Nunnelly for a few episodes, and now Eliza Dushku is opening about her exit from the series due to behind the scene harassment. 

While sharing details about her time on Bull, Dushku told Variety, “I was told that the role would be a six-year commitment to play a smart, strong leading lady. A confident high-powered lawyer meant to counterbalance the existing male lead.”

Dushku then revealed that the Bull role had been written specifically with her in mind. Unfortunately, during her first week on the set of Bull, she found herself in the brunt of “crude, sexualized, and lewd” verbal assaults. “I suffered near-constant sexual harassment from my co-star. The was beyond anything I had experienced in my 30-year career.”

Eliza Dushku Reveals More Details About the Sexual Harassment She Endured By a ‘Bull’ Co-Star

Although she didn’t refer to him specifically by name, it was Bull star Michael Weatherly who she accused of sexually harassing her while on the show’s set. She actually received a $9.5 million settlement from CBS after she was fired for speaking out about the harassment. While talking about the situation on set, Dushku said that the actor would frequently refer to her as “Legs.”

“He would smell me and leeringly look me up and down,” the former Bull star recalled. “Off script, in front of about 100 crew members and cast members. He once said that he would take me to his ‘rape’ van and use lube and long phallic things on me. And tan em over his knee and spank me like a little girl.”

Dushku then shared that she spoke to her Bull co-star about toning down his comments. But then he texted the head of CBS Studios. She was fired the next day. Dushku explained she was silenced by the “arbitration clause” in her contract. 

The Bull alum then stated that she has worked as an actress since she was a child. She signed countless contracts on her behalf. “But never understands act there were mandatory arbitration clauses that would be used to keep what had happened to me a secret. And would protect CBS and the sexual harassment perpetrator, who had blatantly retaliated against me. For trying to stop the harassment in my workplace.”

Along with her interview with Variety, Dushku spoke in front of the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday (November 16). The hearing was titled Silenced: How Forced Arbitration Keeps Victims of Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment in the Shadow. 

Weatherly is still starring on Bull. He portrays the main character, Dr. Jason Bull. Prior to Bull, Weatherly was on NCIS.