Legendary actor Robert De Niro gave evidence in a New York courtroom this week after his former executive assistant sued him for "emotional distress and reputational harm."

Graham Chase Robinson is suing De Niro for $12 million over alleged abuse from the actor, which according to her has left her jobless and unable to recover from the trauma of her job. She worked for De Niro for over 10 years, from 2008 to 2019, and apparently quit over interactions she was having with De Niro's girlfriend.

De Niro was called in to give evidence this week and was angered by the accusations against him. "Shame on you, Chase Robinson!" he yelled at one point, before quietly apologising for the outburst.

Specific allegations against De Niro included him urinating while on the phone with Robinson, calling her a "bitch" to her face, and that he had her scratch his back for him. When presented with these allegations, De Niro denied them, seemingly angered by their tabloid nature.

In return, De Niro is seeking three years of Robinson's salary ($300,000 annually) and has also opened a lawsuit accusing Robinson of theft, including 5 million airline miles that could be used for flights.

De Niro has been one of the most prolific and successful actors in the business since his emergence in the 1970s. He is currently in Martin Scorsese's drama Killers of the Flower Moon alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone and has won praise for his portrayal of William Hale.