The Last Of Us actor Ashley Johnson has sued her ex-boyfriend and Critical Role star Brian W. Foster alleging sexual battery, stalking and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other charges. Six other women joined the graphic civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
“Fueled by chronic abuse of drugs and alcohol, Defendant Brian Wayne Foster has, for the last decade, demonstrated a disturbing pattern and practice of chilling and depraved behavior towards women,” according to the lawsuit. “The women unfortunate enough to have crossed his path were subjected to a common thread of physical and sexual violence as well as mental and emotional abuse. Foster has left a trail of victims whose lives he sought to control through various lies, threats, intimidation, and manipulation.”
One of the plaintiffs is Johnson’s sister, Haylie Langseth, who alleges in the lawsuit that she was groped and harassed by Foster, who “reeked of alcohol” at a family party in front of her children.
According to the lawsuit, Johnson said Foster threatened to extort her by releasing “personal information.” She also said she faced “consistent acts of physical intimidation including but not limited to punching through glass, throwing objects, and screaming obscenities in [Johnson’s] face.”
You can read the entire complaint here.
Johnson’s attorney Brian Freedman, who has done work for Deadline’s parent company PMC, released a statement to Deadline.
“The police officer who reviewed the evidence was so concerned for Ashley Johnson’s safety that he went on his own to a judge to get an immediate emergency protective order against Brian W. Foster,” Freedman said. “Since then, six additional women have come forward. This lawsuit is filed to both remedy the abuse Foster has inflicted on my seven clients as well as to prevent others from being victimized by Foster’s pattern of mental, emotional, and physical abuse.”
“After years of suffering Foster’s abuse and after being pushed towards an emotional breakdown as a result, Plaintiffs have had enough,” the suit reads. “While Plaintiffs have remained private and avoided publicity, they now pursue this action as a cautionary tale. Plaintiffs seek to lift the veil of silence to prevent others from being similarly victimized by Foster. No woman should be forced to live with the cruelty and fear that Plaintiffs and others have experienced at Foster’s hands.”
Foster is best known for hosting and producing the weekly web series Talks Machina that focused on the Dungeons & Dragons livestream series Critical Role, on which Johnson is a main cast member. Foster left Talks Machina in 2021 and the web series ended with Foster’s exit.
Johnson is the voice of protagonist Ellie in the The Last of Us PlayStation video game series and appeared in one episode in HBO’s record-breaking drama series.
