Brett Ratner’s Hilhaven Lodge whiskey has been discontinued in wake of sexual misconduct claims
Brett Ratner’s whiskey brand, the Hilhaven Lodge, has been discontinued by spirits company Diageo following a spate of sexual misconduct allegations against the filmmaker.
The Times first reported Nov. 1 that six women, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, had accused Ratner, 48, of a range of acts of sexual misconduct, including harassment, groping and forced oral sex. On Sunday, a subsequent story detailed alleged incidents involving five other women.
Ratner, best known for directing, producing and financing hits such as “Rush Hour,” “Horrible Bosses” and “The Revenant,” has denied the accounts of each of the women.
“Due to the nature of these allegations, The Hilhaven Lodge Whiskey has been discontinued,” a Diageo spokesperson told The Times.
Ratner’s attorney, Martin Singer, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Hilhaven Lodge whiskey is named after Ratner’s Beverly Hills estate, which was previously home to Hollywood luminaries including “Casablanca” star Ingrid Bergman, “Vertigo” actress Kim Novak and later “Grease” producer Allan Carr, who installed a disco.
The label on the bottle reads: “The lodge quickly became the private playground for those who live in the spotlight, a haven where they could be themselves.”
The whiskey — a blend of Bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and Rye whiskey — retailed for about $40 a bottle, and launched in 2016. The whiskey was the product of a licensing and marketing services agreement between Diageo and Ratner, who owns the Hilhaven Lodge trademark, the London-based spirits company has said.
Diageo’s other brands include Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Don Julio.
Since The Times first detailed the allegations against Ratner, Warner Bros. has severed ties with the filmmaker, opting to not renew a production deal with his company, RatPac Entertainment. He has also lost his office on the studio’s Burbank lot.
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