Ifhis case goes to trial.
I push through the glass door to my office building. Wave to the security team and get into the elevator. The production offices I share with Kris are on the twenty-third floor overlooking Wilshire Boulevard. We’re located in a Hollywood power tower, as they like to say.
Kris is waiting in our modest lobby, wearing a fitted, black dress. “You look gorgeous.” She surveys my pale-pink suit that I’ve paired with a black, sleeveless blouse and rose-gold jewelry.
“You are my inspiration.” I hug her tightly. Kris’ sense of style has always been impeccable. It’s taken me years to operate in a similar realm as her.
“Your office or mine?” Kris stops in the hallway in between our two doors.
I walk into my office and motion her to follow. “Let me multitask. I haven’t gone through my mail in weeks.”
We sit across from each other. The mood is tense, which I knew would be the case. I know today’s going to be heavy, no matter what.
“Tell me where everything is at with this lawsuit.” Kris leans back in her chair. “I’ve read the complaint and the answer you filed but give me your take on it.”
I sigh. “He’s claiming defamation, emotional distress, and ‘impersonation over the internet,’ for the interviews I conducted. His defense is predictable: when I was onHawaiianHigh, I came on to him and he rejected me. When he fired me, I held a grudge and enticed the so-called victims to come forward by paying them with my dating services. There’s a bunch of additional stuff that’s related, but essentially, he’s innocent and I framed him using illegal tactics.”
“What about the documentary? Isn’t that what he says defames him?” Kris steeples her fingers and cants her head.
I nod. “Yeah. But I never planned on releasing it. My intention was to obtain proof for law enforcement. My defense against his legal threats is through Anti-SLAPP laws.”
She stares at me blankly.
“Basically, an Anti-Slapp law prevents people like Kircher from intimidating people like me to speak out. If I prevail, he’ll have to pay my attorneys’ fees and I’ll be dismissed from the lawsuit.”
“God, considering how much time and effort you put into this. Was it worth it?” Kris squints. “I mean, considering?”
“If the victims’ stories help prevent disgusting predators like him? Unquestionably.”
Kris fidgets in her seat. “He’s denying all allegations. Claiming what he’s being accused of is a distortion of reality. That his relationships were consensual. Blah. Blah. Blah.”
“Oh, I know. He’s cancelled. No more projects. Dropped by his agent. Criminal and civil lawsuits. Other people have come forward with horrible stories.” I shrug. “I guess this will play itself out, I just hope I’m out sooner rather than later.”
“There’s been blowback.” She leans forward, placing her beautifully manicured hands on the edge of the desk.
Absentmindedly, I shuffle through my stack of mail as we chat, but her comment catches me off-guard. “The shitty press I’m getting is essentially either calling me a liar, slut-shaming me, or cancelling me for gender misappropriation because I pretended to date gay men.”
“Don’t be flippant, Ronni. You’re not just some actress anymore. Do you know how fucking hard it is to be taken seriously? Do you understand what I’ve needed to do to get to where I am without sucking a lot of dicks?” Kris furrows her brow, clearly displeased with me.
“What are you saying?” I’m shocked senseless. Kris has never spoken to me this way. Ever.
“I’m saying I’ve given you this opportunity and you’re treating it carelessly. What is yourplan?” Kris, perhaps realizing that she lost some of her decorum, calms herself. “I don’t want you to lose your career over this asshole.”
I sit in uncomfortably silence. I guess ignoring the situation and hoping the lawyers could handle it isn’t enough. I try to gather my thoughts, but I decide honesty is what is most important. “I know I’ve let you down, Kris. The transition from actress to businesswoman hasn’t been intuitive for me. At heart, I’m a creative.”
Her expression softens considerably. “Yeah. I know, babe. You’re a new wife. New mother. It’s been a transitional couple of years.”
“I’m not doing well at any of it.” I can’t help but slump forward.
She stands and walks around to my side of the desk. Sits on the edge. “There’s no easy way to say this. Until things calm down or smooth over, the financiers want you to step down from the movie, Ronni.”
My head snaps up. “Wait. What? Can they do that?”
“Yes. They can. Unless you can get this sorted in the next couple of weeks. My advice is to do what you can to contain the narrative...” She peers down at me. Concerned, not angry now.
My jaw sets. I ball my hands into fists. “Fuck them. I’ll fight this. I worked hard to get this movie…”
“Ronni.Please. Think before acting. You could bring me down too.” She closes her eyes, takes a breath, and recaptures my gaze. “I want to help you navigate this, but…”