Oldman's son defends him against abuse allegations

The son of Oscar winner Gary Oldman has defended his father after the actor's former wife's claims of spousal abuse resurfaced.

Gulliver Oldman, the "Darkest Hour" star's 20-year-old son, slammed his mother, former model Donya Fiorentino, for perpetuating an alleged domestic violence incident that he says never happened, reports people.com.

"I can see how coming out with a statement to combat an allegation must look. However, I was there at the time of the 'incident,' so I'd like to make this radiantly clear: it didn't happen. Anyone who says it did is lying," Gulliver said in a statement.

His comment followed an interview by his mother in which she called her four-year marriage to Gary a "nightmare".

Fiorentino also spoke to TMZ after Gary won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday. "I thought we had evolved. What happened to the #MeToo movement?" she said.

The couple separated in 2001. Fiorentino had filed court documents accusing the actor of assaulting her in front of their two children, Gulliver and his younger brother Charlie, 19.

Oldman called the accusations "replete with lies, innuendoes and half-truths". In later court filings, according to people.com, the actor stated that her "false allegations of spousal abuse... were rejected by the City Attorney's Office, the District Attorney's office and this court".

The actor was granted primary custody of both their children, with supervised visits for Fiorentino, as the custody fight dragged out in court for years.

"It has been troubling and painful to see that these false allegations against my father being written about again, especially after this was all settled years ago," Oldman's son said.

Of his mother, he said: "She has been a sad and very troubled person most of her life. Yes, she brought me into this world. She didn't however, teach me how to be a part of it."

--IANS

rb/mr