#NBCUniversal settles with ousted exec Ron Meyer amid sex scandal

NBCUniversal has made a confidential settlement with former Universal Studios executive Ron Meyer, who was fired last year amid a sex scandal, according to new report.

Meyer was ousted from his lofty post as vice chairman of NBCUniversal in August 2020 after he admitted to making hush-money payments to a woman with whom he’d had a brief “consensual affair.”

In a deal negotiated by Hollywood heavyweight lawyer Patricia Glaser, Meyer landed a settlement in the realm of $20 million, according to entertainment trade publication Deadline. The publication said the deal was months in the making and finally came together last month.

Meyer’s attorney Glaser said: “We are unable to comment because of a confidentiality requirement.” NBCUniversal did not return requests for comment.

At the time of his exit, Meyer acknowledged that he made a settlement “with a woman outside the company who had made false accusations against me,” admitting, “This is a woman I had a very brief and consensual affair with many years ago.”

Meyer claimed he was being extorted over the affair which dated back nearly 10 years. In the days to follow, news leaked out that the woman at the center of the scandal was British-born actress Charlotte Kirk.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Meyer paid Kirk at least $500,000 as part of a promised $2 million settlement in 2019.

Meanwhile, Kirk also had a brief relationship with former Warner Bros. studio head Kevin Tsujihara, who resigned in 2019 after a slew of text messages that suggested he would help find acting jobs for her became public. Kirk had minor roles in “Ocean’s 8″ and “How to Be Single.” Tsujihara denied having any direct role in getting her those jobs.

Meyer said he disclosed the settlement and threats to his bosses at NBCUniversal after others became aware of the secret payments to Kirk. The exec was worried that the situation would become public and would not only sully his reputation, but also that of NBCUniversal, which had been criticized for its handling of sexual assault claims against Harvey Weinstein and former “Today” anchor Matt Lauer.

In the wake of Meyer’s departure, Deadline reported that the the exec has landed a lucrative consulting gig with Qatar. and that he has “made many trips to the country to provide guidance to its Doha Film Institute on motion picture investments.”