Danny Elfman Defamation Lawsuit Proceeding

Danny Elfman has lost his attempt to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by Nomi Abadi, who alleges he exposed himself and sexually harassed her in 2016. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Gail Killefer ruled that Abadi's claims, stemming from Elfman's comments to Rolling Stone in July 2023, could proceed as at least some allegations appear to have 'minimal merit.' Elfman had argued that his statements were protected under free speech and litigation privilege, but the court found his letter functioned more as a press release than a demand for litigation. Judge Killefer indicated that text messages between the two suggest Elfman's outright denial of the claims may be knowingly false. The legal battle continues despite Elfman's previous settlement with Abadi in 2017 regarding her sexual harassment allegations, which included a $830,000 payout and a non-disclosure agreement.