Entertainment

Director Cary Fukunaga accused of ‘grooming’ on sets: ‘He needs to be stopped’

“No Time to Die” director Cary Fukunaga is being accused of inappropriate behavior with young women on film sets.

Anonymous sources from the production of the upcoming AppleTV+ miniseries “Masters of the Air” told Rolling Stone that the director has engaged in “absolute, clear-cut abuse of power” when interacting with young female actors and crew members.

His goal, they alleged, is to engage in romantic relationships. One unidentified woman who reportedly dated him after they met on set said a “heavy weight” was “lifted” after they parted ways, according to Rolling Stone. “When I thought about him, I just wanted to vomit,” she said.

The 44-year-old “True Detective” director’s attorney, Michael Plonsker, denied the claims to Rolling Stone, saying in a statement: “There is nothing salacious about pursuing friendships or consensual romantic relationships with women.”

He also noted that “no one ever — not once — voiced such sentiments” of the claims to Fukunaga.

Cary Fukunaga attends the “No Time to Die” world premiere in 2021. Samir Hussein/WireImage
Fukunaga is being accused of inappropriate behavior with young female actors and crew members on the set of AppleTV+’s upcoming “Masters of the Air.” WireImage

“He creates a work environment that is creative, collaborative and welcoming to all,” Plonsker added in the statement.

The Post has reached out for comment from Fukunaga’s representatives, as well as Apple TV+.

The accusations come after 23-year-old actress and skateboarder Rachelle Vinberg recently alleged on Instagram that Fukunaga groomed her when he approached her at a skate park and asked her to audition for a Samsung commercial he was directing. She was 18 at the time, according to Rolling Stone.

Plonsker released a statement, saying Fukunaga “had a very brief and consensual romantic relationship with [Vinberg] that has ended” and suggested the skateboarder “clearly was not happy” with him since the split.

“I spent years being scared of him,” Vinberg captioned a selfie with Vinberg on Instagram. “Man’s a groomer and has been doing this s–t for years. Beware, women.”

She later called the director out for his pro-choice Instagram Story following the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“And it pisses me off ’cause he literally doesn’t care about women. He only traumatizes them. I’ve spoken to many girls. F–k you, Cary,” she wrote on her own Instagram Story, according to IndieWire.

When Fukunaga landed “No Time to Die,” he vowed to make his version of James Bond more in line with the #MeToo movement.

“Is it ‘Thunderball’ or ‘Goldfinger’ where, like, basically Sean Connery’s character rapes a woman?” Fukunaga asked the Hollywood Reporter in 2021, referring to two of the six Bond movies that starred Connery.

“She’s like ‘No, no, no,’ and he’s like, ‘Yes, yes, yes,’” Fukunaga, 44, said.

“That wouldn’t fly today,” he told the trade mag.

Fukunaga appeared to be referring to 1965’s “Thunderball,” in which Connery’s Bond forcibly kisses a nurse who had spurned his advances, the Guardian noted.

Fukunaga, 44, is involved with the AppleTV+ miniseries “Masters of the Air.” Dave Benett/Getty Images for Jag