Down Angle Symbol A symbol in the form of an angle pointing downwards. Anthony Anderson was announced as host of the 75th Primetime Emmys last month. Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
- Anthony Anderson is under scrutiny as he will host this year's Emmy Awards.
- The actor and comedian has been accused of sexual assault since 2004.
- Here's everything you need to know about the sexual assault allegations against Anderson.
In December, “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson was announced as host of the 75th Emmy Awards, but the decision proved controversial.
Sexual assault allegations against the actor and comedian dating back to 2004 have resurfaced in recent weeks, along with calls for him to be removed as host.
Lawyers cited three cases – two from 2004 and one from 2018. In two cases the charges were dropped, in another the outcome is unknown.
“Anthony Anderson hosts the Emmys…do producers just not google these people?” wrote “XO, Kitty” screenwriter Alanna Bennett on X earlier this month.
The Sexual Violence Prevention Association called on the Emmys and Fox, the network that will air this year's ceremony, to reconsider Anderson as host in a Jan. 6 Instagram post.
“The entertainment industry has the power and responsibility to protect individuals from sexual violence,” the post reads in part.
The SVPA said it “encourages the Emmys and Fox not only to remove Anderson as host, but to continue to conduct their due diligence in selecting hosts going forward.”
Here's what you need to know about the allegations against Anderson.
The allegations against Anderson date back to 2004
Anthony Anderson at the Fox Winter press conference on the red carpet at the FOX lot. FOX/Getty Images
Anderson, 53, was first accused of sexual assault in July 2004, when an extra on the set of “Hustle & Flow” said that Anderson and assistant director Wayne Witherspoon sexually assaulted her.
According to a criminal complaint published by The Smoking Gun at the time, a 25-year-old woman told authorities in Tennessee that she was “lured” into a trailer where Anderson and Witherspoon “began removing her clothing and sexually assaulting her.” “.
According to the complaint, the two men also held her down and took photos of her genitals against her will.
After a witness heard her screams and unlocked the trailer, the woman ran away naked, the complaint said.
Anderson was charged with aggravated rape and released after posting $20,000 bail, The Smoking Gun reported.
A spokesman for the actor denied the allegations at the time, according to CNN.
“Anthony is a happily married family man who has never been accused of anything similar – nor even remotely involved – and we are confident that he will be fully exonerated when all the facts come to light,” the actor's rep said.
The case went to court, where the woman testified that the two men forced her to have sex with them several times in the days leading up to the encounter, which she reported to police.
However, the case was dismissed after a judge found there was insufficient probable cause, Entertainment Weekly reported in October 2004.
Another woman filed a $900,000 lawsuit against Anderson
Anthony Anderson attends the 2023 Wish Gala at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, California. Tiffany Rose/Getty Images
In September 2004, Anderson was accused of sexual assault for the second time by a woman who filed a lawsuit against him. She claimed he made sexually suggestive comments and assaulted her in his dressing room on the set of his short-lived WB sitcom “All About the Andersons” in 2003.
According to UPI, the unnamed woman filed a civil lawsuit against the actor in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking $900,000 in damages.
As E! At the time, News reported that Anderson again “unequivocally” denied the allegations and his spokesman theorized that the “ridiculous rape allegations pending against him in Memphis” had made him a target.
The outcome of this case is unknown. Anderson's representatives declined to comment for this story or to clarify the outcome of the lawsuit.
In 2018, Anderson was charged with sexual assault for the third time
Anthony Anderson at the exclusive press preview of the 75th Primetime Emmys at the JW Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles, California. Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
In July 2018, Anderson was accused of sexual assault for the third time by a woman in Los Angeles who claimed the star assaulted her at an event she was hosting for the actor, according to The Blast.
The Los Angeles Police Department opened a criminal investigation into the incident. However, in September 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute the case because the unnamed woman refused to be interviewed, according to .
At the time, representatives for Anderson told Variety: “It is unfortunate that anyone can file a police report, whether it is true or false. Authorities have not contacted Anthony or any of his representatives regarding this matter. Anthony clearly denies the claim.”
Anderson's representatives declined to comment for this story. Representatives for the Emmys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.