Hollywood Director Faces Serious Allegations from Former Partner
Joe Carnahan, the director behind Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's recent Netflix film The Rip, has been accused of sexual battery and stalking by his former girlfriend Michelle Crosby. The 45-year-old lawyer has filed legal documents alleging multiple physical attacks during their four-year relationship, according to reports from The Hollywood Reporter.
Detailed Allegations of Physical Violence
Crosby claims that after the couple began dating in 2020, Carnahan persuaded her to relocate from Manhattan to Los Angeles, where their relationship quickly deteriorated. The legal filing details numerous alleged assaults that paint a disturbing picture of domestic violence.
The suit describes specific incidents including:
- Choking and physical restraint
- Being pushed into a Christmas tree during an altercation
- Being struck repeatedly through a sofa cushion while pinned beneath Carnahan's nearly 300-pound frame
- A particularly violent 2024 hotel-room incident that allegedly caused permanent scalp damage
Specific Incident Described in Court Documents
Court documents reviewed by The Hollywood Reporter detail a harrowing hotel-room encounter in 2024. According to the filing, "What began as consensual intimacy turned violent when Carnahan suddenly yanked her hair as she screamed for him to stop. He refused, remarking, 'If you think you can do this to me, I will break you of that misunderstanding.'"
The documents continue: "Afterward he callously laughed and said, 'I guess you won't be attending any parties without hair.' When he was finished, he hastily packed and left the room."
Crosby reported the alleged assault to the Riverside Sheriff's Department and claims to have sustained permanent scalp damage and bald patches, compounded by stress-related hair loss that now requires her to wear a wig.
Legal Context and Response
The allegations appear in a cross-complaint filed in response to a lawsuit initiated by Carnahan, who claims Crosby damaged a Porsche he had lent her. This legal back-and-forth creates a complex courtroom drama involving both parties.
Carnahan has denied all allegations through his attorney Wendy Slavkin, who stated: "This was a completely consensual relationship which ended in Spring 2024 and since then the other party has consistently threatened Joe with exactly what you're reading now – the threat to attack Joe publicly when his film was released."
Slavkin further noted: "The allegations against Joe were dismissed in July of 2025 and he has not had any contact with the defendant outside of a courtroom last May, while trying to obtain a permanent restraining order against her."
Hollywood Context and Timing
The allegations emerge as Carnahan's professional profile has risen significantly. He recently directed Affleck and Damon in The Rip, which achieved substantial success with 41.6 million views in its first three days on Netflix in January. The film, inspired by a 2016 Miami-Dade narcotics raid, follows Miami officers who discover millions in cash and must decide whether to keep it.
Crosby filed her cross-complaint before the film's press tour, raising questions about timing and motivation from both legal perspectives. The Daily Mail reported that it has not received responses to requests for comment from representatives for Carnahan, Affleck, and Damon.
Crosby's Statement and Broader Pattern
In her legal filing, Crosby accuses Carnahan of a "pattern of physical violence" that extended beyond isolated incidents. She claims this pattern included "shoving her into a Christmas tree, pinning her under his body, grabbing her throat and tackling her to the ground."
Crosby told The Hollywood Reporter: "This was monstrous behavior by a Hollywood director that should not be left unchallenged. These grave matters demand accountability."
The court documents also note that shortly after the alleged hotel incident, Carnahan emailed Crosby "as though nothing had happened, asking for a list of her 'needs' and attaching a copy of the script RIP."
