Rosario Dawson Accused of ‘Transphobic Abuse’ Towards Longtime Family Friend

Daredevil star Rosario Dawson is reportedly being sued by a former employee and friend, a transgender man, who claims the actress and her family assaulted him. Dedrek Finley claims he worked for Dawson and her family, even moving from New York City to Los Angeles in 2017 at the request of her mother, Isabel. Their relationship fractured in April 2018, when Dawson’s mother got violent with her, Finley claims in a lawsuit.

According to TMZ, Finley claims he came out to the Dawson family after they moved to California. He claims they did not take this well, and repeatedly referred to him with female pronouns and used her old name. Finley complained to Dawson about this, but she did nothing, he claims.

Finley accused Dawson of being transphobic as well. He claims that Dawson once told her, “You’re a grown woman.” When he corrected her, Dawson shrugged him off and replied, “Whatever.”

According to the lawsuit, Finley lived in a separate home on Dawson’s North Hollywood property. He did not have to pay rent, but said he made renovations on Dawson’s house.

The relationship allegedly took a turn for the worse on April 28, 2018. Isabel knocked on Finley’s door and he refused to talk about a problem with her, Finley claims. At that point, Isabel became violent, threatening to kill his cat and ripped the screen off a window before pulling him through it. Finley claims Isabel punched him and yelled, “You’re not so much of a man now.”

Dawson came by and told her mother to “stop being petty,” according to the lawsuit. However, Dawson did not help and actually pinned him to the ground so her mother could continue beating him, Finley claims.

Finley said one of the women took his phone away because he had a video of Isabel previously threatening him, so he could not call 911. Finley claims he did get away and called 911 from Dawson’s home. Police responded and Finley needed to be hospitalized. He also got a restraining order against Dawson’s mother.

Finley claims the Dawsons pushed him out off her property in September 2018 after they shut off the gas.

Finley’s lawsuit lists Dawson, her mother, her stepfather and her uncle as defendants. He is suing them for “assault, battery, trespass, discrimination, civil rights and labor violations,” according to TMZ.

Dawson’s representatives have not commented yet.

Aside from acting, Dawson is busy as a political activist. She is now dating New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who is running for the 2020 Democratic Presidential nomination. She can now be seen in theaters in Zombieland: Double Tap.