Sebastian Bear-McClard, the estranged husband of Emily Ratajkowski who produced such films as the Safdie Brothers’ Good Time and Uncut Gems, has been accused of sexual misconduct by several women in a new report by Variety.
In statements reviewed by Variety, young women accused Bear-McClard of using his power as a producer to rope them into unequal sexual relationships, as well as creating uncomfortable work environments. One woman, who was 17 at the time, recalled the producer messaging her on Instagram about appearing in Good Time, promising screen time with star Robert Pattinson, without providing any specifics. She allegedly ended up being naked for the scene, standing in front of nearly a dozen male cast and crew members — including Josh and Benny Safdie. Pattinson was not on set that day; instead, she was paired with an actor who had recently been released from prison before being cast in the film. Bear-McClard did not pay the woman for her appearance; instead, he bought her a pack of cigarettes.
Another woman met Bear-McClard on the set of Uncut Gems when she was 18 and accused him of grooming her, promising help with her career. In a statement, the woman recalled one instance of misconduct that occurred at the apartment Bear-McClard shared with his then-wife, Ratajkowski: “Sebastian and I started kissing. Things escalated and then, without asking for my consent, Sebastian inserted himself inside me without using a condom.” Elsewhere, she accuses the producer of using derogatory language toward her and tracking her location through her phone.
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According to the second woman, Bear-McClard also had a relationship with a 15-year-old during the filming of Uncut Gems. The child had no part of the production, but would visit the set. When the woman confronted the producer about it, “Sebastian appeared pleased with himself and laughed at my comment. He did not deny my accusations.”
Bear-McClard founded the Elara production company with the Safdie Brothers in 2014. In a statement, the directing duo said, “The Elara team were made aware of Sebastian McClard’s behavior in July 2022. They took immediate action and terminated him.”
Both Good Time and Uncut Gems were distributed by A24, the film studio that’s grown in recent years from an indie darling to the home of Oscar winners like Moonlight and Everything Everywhere All At Once. According to Variety, the nude scene filmed by the minor in Good Time did not appear in the movie’s final cut, but did appear in the version that premiered at Cannes in 2016, which is what A24 executives saw before purchasing the project. The Safdie Brothers tend to use non-actors as well as professionals in their films, though the casting of a 17-year-old with no agent in a nude scene raises questions about the practice.
Ratajkowski declined to comment, but friends told the trade she wasn’t surprised by the allegations against her husband. The model and producer married in 2018 after dating for two weeks and separated last year. Their divorce is ongoing, and Ratajkowski is currently attempting to receive full custody of their son, who was born in 2021. Read the full report of Bear-McClard’s accusations here.
