Judge Rules Danny Elfman Defamation Lawsuit Can Proceed

The lawsuit, filed by composer Nomi Abadi, accuses Elfman of making false statements about her sexual harassment allegations and prior settlement.

A Los Angeles judge denied Danny Elfman's motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by fellow composer Nomi Abadi over his comments to Rolling Stone in 2023.
Abadi alleges Elfman made false statements denying her claims of sexual harassment and misconduct, including incidents from 2015 and 2016, which were reportedly settled for $830,000.
The court rejected Elfman's argument that his statements were protected by litigation privilege, ruling that his letter to Rolling Stone functioned more as a press release than a legal demand letter.
Judge Gail Killefer found that some of Abadi's claims have 'minimal merit,' citing text messages and Elfman's admission of 'naked romping' as evidence contradicting his outright denial of misconduct.
Elfman’s attorney, Camille Vasquez, plans to appeal the decision, maintaining that the case should be dismissed, while Abadi's lawsuit will continue in court.