In 2021, ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele was suspended following comments she made on a podcast, including calling parent company Disneys vaccine mandates sick and questioning why Barack Obama considers himself Black when he was raised by his white mother. When she returned to her job, she felt shed been sidelined from key on-air opportunities. So she dialed one of her closest friends, Chris Harrison, for advice. Theyd gotten to know each other while co-hosting the Miss America pageant and the Scripps National Spelling Bee. He, too, had recently lost a big gig as host of ABCs The Bachelor, after defending a contestant accused of racism. Chris said, I know who you need to talk to my lawyer. Hell be calling you momentarily, Steele remembers. Within five minutes, Bryan Freedman was on the phone with me. Steele left ESPN she now has a podcast at Bill Mahers Club Random Studios and will voice an upcoming animated series for conservative media outfit The Daily Wire but was pleased by the settlement Freedman clinched. Hes the kind of person you need if youre David fighting Goliath, she says. Little me versus Disney? Hes the defender of whats right. He fought for me when I didnt even think I was worthwhile. He made me feel fearless when I was at my most vulnerable.

Illustration by Darrow; Michael Loccisano/Getty Images; Todd Williamson/Getty Images; Noam Galai/Getty Images; GIORGIO VIERA/AFP/Getty Images; Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images Freedman, the divisive Hollywood attorney whos referred to himself as a pit bull and is known for a rabidity and ruthlessness that can make even his fellow ferocious practitioners marvel in astonishment, has ascended as a powerhouse in recent years, becoming the go-to for alpha dogs who see themselves as the underdogs in a crisis.

He represented Kevin Spacey after the actor was accused of sexual assault and FKA Twigs when she alleged Shia LaBeouf abused her. Tucker Carlson, Chris Cuomo, Megyn Kelly and Don Lemon hired him when they were unceremoniously ousted from their networks. Dr. Dres ex-wife worked with him to get the music mogul to cough up spousal support. Freedmans also been behind Gabrielle Unions toxic workplace claim with Americas Got Talent, Jamie Lynn Spears in her war of words with sister Britney, and defended Diplo when the musician was accused of distributing revenge porn. Lately, hes been a force in the reality reckoning, pushing a series of labor claims and putting Comcast and Bravo on the defensive as he publicly calls for network mascot Andy Cohens head.

After a long career progressing from the margins of entertainment litigation, the brighter spotlight has led to the resurfacing of a troubling legal allegation from Freedmans past while he also defends his hardball tactics in and out of the courtroom. If you fuck with my client, you get what you get, he tells The Hollywood Reporter at his Century City office during an afternoon off from an ongoing trial in Santa Monica against Mattel; hes suing on behalf of a production company that claims the conglomerate stole its idea for the show The Toy Box, which aired on ABC in 2017.

Freedmans reputation is comically menacing. On this June afternoon, across a wide conference room table, hes mostly docile, on his best behavior with a PR rep by his side. But flashes of pugnaciousness cant help but shine through. If it serves my clients purpose to be a zealous advocate, which I believe most of the time it does, then I will be a zealous advocate. (Freedman also replied to questions about some legal matters in writing.)

His relentless go-for-the-jugular MO in the press, via depositions, through court filings, during private dispute resolution is, to his mind, rooted in hyper-competitiveness, along with childhood pain. I have had a protective streak in me ever since I was a kid, where I really just wanted to help and protect people, he explains. Asked more about it, he says, Theres things Id rather, while my mothers alive, not get into, but everybody did the best they could with what they had. Mysister killed herself a year ago. People have trauma. And so, I am a protector of people and try to do it in every way possible within the bounds of the law, hopefully thinking both inside and outside the box.

Freedman, 59, whose family moved around the country a lot while he was growing up (his father was a pathologist who worked for a series of hospitals in different states), has been sober for 23 years. He now hosts recovery meetings at the $5.5 million Pacific Palisades home hes lived in since the early 2000s and where he raised his kids with Denise, his wife of three decades. AA has informed the way he views the law, making him think there is an opportunity for growth in every situation, whether its my client or someone elses.

Carlson had Freedman handle his 2023 exit from Fox News shortly after the network paid $787 million to settle a defamation suit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against the network. Every time I read about Bryan, its like, When are they letting him out of the cage? Carlson jokes. Hes chewing on his own paw. But he observes that persona may obscure another canine-like quality beloved by clients loyalty: If he takes you on, hes not secretly working with the other side.

Like me, hes sober, Carlson says, and I think thats really a central part of his personality. Its instantly recognizable to me, that hes one of these people and you cheapen it by describing it but its his duty to help. He recalls how Freedman encouraged him to reach out to Cuomo and Lemon when they, too, found themselves at the bottom of the dogpile. And I did even though I didnt like them! He pauses. It speaks to his decency.

Cuomo, another broadcaster who was abruptly terminated from his network CNN discovered he had aided his brother, then New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, amid a sexual harassment scandal offers this about their mutual counselor: When Freedman believes that he has a client whos been wronged, its not just about relative equities, adding, The media business is uglier than most things, and in a very ugly world, he has a very uncommon sense of honor. Theres something beautiful about that. Thats what makes him stand out.

Bryan Freedman outside the Santa Monica Courthouse. Photographed by Shayan Asgharnia ***

For many years, Freedman was a middle-of-the-pack player in the Hollywood legal world, which he entered decades ago. This followed an early stint at a stodgy firm doing commercial litigation after graduating from a lower-ranked law school. (His goal at the start of his career: pay-back-your-

student-loan law.)

At a practice he established with Michael Taitelman, a college buddy who specializes in real estate transactions the firm has since expanded to 26 employees, including 15 lawyers he handled workaday matters for the likes of gossip columnist Perez Hilton, production company Benderspink and, for years his main calling card, the talent agency UTA. His first claim to legal fame was winning a settlement in a defamation case against Courtney Love in 2011 when she went on a Twitter rant against his client, a boudoir-focused fashion designer named Dawn Simorangkir.

Then came a big break. In 2018, his client UTA recommended Freedman to Kelly, herself an ex-lawyer, for her acrimonious separation from NBC News after shed made comments defending blackface. (The agency briefly held discussions about signing her after shed fired CAA in the midst of the scandal.) I was dealing with some dirty dogs, she says, and Bryan knew how to handle it. He wasnt intimidated by their tactics or threats nor their constant leaks in the media. After Kelly reportedly exited with her full $69 million contract intact, Freedman zoomed to the top of the industrys crisis call sheet. In the years since, hes repped Vin Diesel after the actor was accused of sexual assault by an assistant, The Bachelor host Chris Harrison during his departure from the show, Vanna White in her Wheel of Fortune salary dispute and Quentin Tarantino in a fight with Miramax over Pulp Fiction NFTs. (Freedman has previously also done work for THRs parent company, Penske Media Corporation, as outside counsel he says he ended the relationship so he could be a conflict-free voice for his Hollywood clients if they wanted to go after PMC and unsuccessfully sued Los Angeles magazine when it was run by Maer Roshan, now THRs co-editor-in-chief.)

Freedman clients Vin Diesel, Vanna White and Gabrielle Union Jesse Grant/Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images In fact, Freedmans willingness to be the intimidator is a large part of his appeal among clients. Hes frequently compared to industry litigator Marty Singer, arguably Hollywoods most mythologized living practitioner of performative aggression. However, those who know the two best say Freedman can be nastier. Bryan is mean, explains an attorney who admires and has worked with both. Marty is loud and abrasive. But Bryan can be cruel. Its worse when hes an adversary.

Brian W. Foster, creator of the popular Dungeons Dragons web series Critical Role, learned what its like to go up against Freedman during his 2023 separation from his former fiance, actress Ashley Johnson. Freedman filed a suit that was reported in the press in which Johnson and six other female plaintiffs including Johnsons sister alleged sexual or physical misconduct by Foster, all of which hes vigorously disputed or denied.

Observes Foster: Is Bryan Freedman effective? Yes. My life is proof. Hes a shakedown guy. That blitz? Hes destroyed my life and my familys life.

Freedman, who no longer represents the women, rejects this. Foster need only look in the mirror to assign blame, he says. Any other interpretation is victim shaming and an attempt to further harass his accusers.

The Wolf of Wall Street inspiration Jordan Belfort, who hired Freedman to sue the movies producers for purported fraud, says that Freedmans theatrics serve him well. The reputation makes people think twice, explains Belfort, whose suit was settled. Its a big thing emotionally to people on the other side. They take it seriously.

Yet one seasoned litigator whos had a history of dealings opposite Freedman believes that the bark can belie a lack of bite. He knows how to create hype, which instills fear [in the other party], but theres not a lot of substance taking what, when you look into it, are small [grievances] and turning them into something untrue, says this lawyer. The business plan is about setting out narratives that are perceived as difficult by studios and production companies that dont want negative press [in order] to secure settlements.

For his part, Freedmans response to such critiques ranges from dismissive (sounds like they lost) to earnest explications of his work as that of a mere servant, a vessel for his clients wishes. I will morph into the need that my client needs, he says. Still, it may be revealing that during a brief interlude about his passion for basketball of his three sons, all in their 20s, one was a college phenom and another plays professionally in China Freedman says that during his own high school playing days he never was afraid to take the shot but was a better trash talker than probably a player.

Entertainment attorneys like Freedman almost always prefer to resolve conflicts through arbitration or mediation. Yet some critics point to the fact that he has scant record of victory in the most transparent and unforgiving forum, civil court, as proof that the core of his advocacy claims often dont hold up. Bryan Freedman isnt considered a trial lawyer by my peers, says Sanford Michelman, who represents Foster as well as axed MediaLink head Michael Kassan in a dispute against Freedman client UTA, which fired Kassan. (The case recently entered arbitration.) In my experience with him, he is all hyperbole and no substance. We dont take him seriously.

His satisfied star clients, though, share a different view. They see their lawyer as a fearless warrior and a wise tactician. I absolutely adore him and would defend him to the end, says Kelly. Hes honest and has integrity and is brilliant and knows how to fight. Hes tireless. Once hes on board for you, hell kill for you.

Former Grammys CEO Deb Dugan (like Kelly, once a practicing lawyer) utilized Freedman to pursue a discrimination charge against the Recording Academy after shed been fired amid alleged misconduct claims. Like a perfumer has a nose for fragrance, he has a nose for foul play, especially when it comes to complex organizations where its hard to understand the inside, she says. He has a high sense of justice and operates with obvious intellect but also a strong EQ.

Freedmans supporters describe a compassion that fuels his drive. We did phone calls where he would just listen to me cry about my experience, explains FKA Twigs, who employed Freedman to sue Shia LaBeouf for physical and sexual assault, a suit that was ultimately settled. (LaBeouf has since publicly apologized.) He was the first person who didnt interrupt me, who remembered everything. He supported my position when I was made to have no position in this industry. Bryan made me feel like I was brave, even through my tears. The woman I was then, I was broken, and he saw a strength in me.

Freedman clients Quentin Tarantino, FKA Twigs and Tucker Carlson Daniele Venturelli/WireImage; Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images; Joe Raedle/Getty Images This tenderness, allies say, is lost in the caricature of Freedman often bolstered by the attorney himself as a cold-blooded legal terminator. Hes where he is because of what people see, which is his advocacy, and also what they dont, which is a warmth and emotion and humanity underneath, says Mark Geragos, another high-profile litigator fond of rhetorical flourishes andcampaigns waged in the media. The pair, who have known each other for years, have increasingly teamed on headline-generating cases, including advocating for Hunter Biden against FoxNews.

Bryan Freedman outside the Santa Monica Courthouse. Photographed by Shayan Asgharnia ***

In August 2023, a besuited Freedman appeared on TMZ Live. He and the equally controversial Geragos were doing the media rounds alleging systemic exploitation by Bravo and parent company NBCUniversal on behalf of current and former cast and crewmembers, including Bethenny Frankel and Brandi Glanville, on some of the networks lucrative reality shows. Their crusading work has rocked the network and become pop culture grist, prompting SAG-AFTRA to issue a statement of support (We stand ready to assist Bethenny Frankel, Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos), putting Bravo on-air ringmaster Andy Cohen on the defensive against unionizing reality talent (You dont go to school to be a reality star, Cohen told THR on May8) and seeing a stream of new business from high-profile unscripted figures.

During the TMZ Live hit, Freedman sought to underscore the claimed misdeeds by introducing a piece of purported evidence. This exhibit was an oversized piece of paper, ostensibly a binding agreement, with the header Slave Contract. The lawyer explained of the prop he held to the camera: This is so bad, this is something I was provided with, adding, it says slave contract, an actual slave contract. Like, youre going to be able to have someone sign a slave contract?

Harvey Levin, TMZs seen-it-all tabloid chief, responded with brows furrowed: Thats an actual contract for a show? Freedman arms crossed, hair slicked back, palm trees framed in the window behind him underscored, Thats an actual contract between two people that allows filming and allows other things to happen and to be placed on a show.

Yet in April, legal counsel opposing Freedman in a separate case contended the slave contract he waved around on TMZ was, as it happened, a document pertaining to a totally different legal dispute in which they were engaged, and that allegedly involved an actual BDSM relationship. They explained in a filing that the contract was a sexual prop downloaded from the Internet and drafted mostly by Freedmans own client, whod accused their litigant, a San Francisco CEO named Christian Lanng, of abuse.

Lanng, whos since lost his job at the fintech platform Tradeshift, an enterprise that had been valued at $2.7 billion in a 2021 fundraising round, has named Freedman and his firm in a defamation and extortion action. Ive worked with a lot of attorneys over my decades as an entrepreneur, and even in the most high-stakes or contentious negotiations, Ive never seen anything resembling my interactions with Bryan Freedman, he says.

Lanng adds, Freedman turned a settlement negotiation into a media circus. His actions got in the way of resolving grievances and protecting the financial position of investors, employees and other stakeholders of my company. His attorney Christopher Frost believes that the TMZ incident was part of an abuse of an attorneys power. NBCUniversal didnt comment.

While Freedman declined to explain how or why the contract from the Lanng case ended up as a stunt in the wrong case on TMZ Live, citing active litigation, he dismissed the matter as nonsensical. (In court, he has offered a contorted legal rationale for its appearance.)

Lanngs legal complaint against Freedman also alleges he and his firm hired third parties to create deepfake stories about him by developing sham websites and fake social media accounts in an attempt to leverage a higher settlement. In court, Freedman has denied the allegation, and he tells THR it sounds like a spy novel about the CIA.

Freedman clients Chris Cuomo, Megyn Kelly and Don Lemon Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Phillip Faraone/Getty Images; Cindy Ord/Getty Images ***

Freedman has represented both those accused of sexual harassment and assault as well as survivors. One of his current docket dramas, alongside Geragos, is the legal consequence of the internet-shaking Scandoval. The lawyers are representing Vanderpump Rules castmember Rachel Leviss in her revenge porn lawsuit against former co-star and lover Tom Sandoval.

Another ongoing dispute has brought Freedman himself briefly into the crosshairs. In March 2023, attorney Jeremiah Reynolds brought a motion for monetary sanctions against Freedman. He alleged Freedman filed a frivolous sexual assault claim and leaked it to favored media outlets to gain unfair advantage in a home renovation dispute between a couple Reynolds represented, director Sacha Gervasi (The Terminal, Hitchcock) and his wife, the heiress Jessica de Rothschild, and Freedmans own client, the interior designer Diana Lands Nathanson, who was previously married to Freedmans best friend, the former MGM head Michael Nathanson. Reynolds asserted that the allegedly false claim had impacted Gervasis career. The motion against Freedman was denied. Freedman: Doesnt that unequivocally establish that the [sexual assault] claim was not frivolous at all? A trial is scheduled for 2025.

Freedman shrugs off the notion that he makes untoward use of what he refers to as the media strategy, at least compared to his peers. He insists that many cases never publicly surface because theyre successfully negotiated before that phase is reached.

Freedman himself has learned what its like to be on the business end of the media strategy. In 2022, former Nickelodeon actress and #MeToo activist Alexa Nikolas publicized court records of a sexual assault case that Freedman had settled for $40,000, without admitting liability, three decades earlier. (He was representing Nikolas ex-husband in then-ongoing litigation over abuse claims.) The documentation, reviewed by THR, details how the plaintiff who first sued in 1986 became drunk at a UC Berkeley party and met undergraduate Freedman and his frat brothers, who led her to their fraternity house where, she alleged, they sexually assaulted her in rapid succession. She was 17 years old at the time.

The plaintiff testified in a deposition about what she termed the gang bang. Afterward, she noted, I had trouble seeing, because my eyes were filled up with tears. The plaintiff also shared that shed since been plagued by persistent nightmares in which Freedman was after her. I was being chased, and I was hiding from him, she said. The situation was reported on at the time by UC Berkeleys student newspaper. Freedman later resigned as an officer of the campus student association.

After Nikolas resurfaced Freedmans settlement, her activist group Eat Predators protested in front of his Century City office tower. Later in 2022, press outlets including Rolling Stone and Business Insider detailed the case, highlighting the attorneys high-profile work on both sides of the #MeToo movement, from Kevin Spacey to FKA Twigs. For his part, Freedman remained mum.

Freedman clients Kevin Spacey, Bethenny Frankel and Sage Steele Carl Court/Getty Images; Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images; Greg Doherty/Getty Images The next year, however, the University of the Pacifics McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento announced that Freedman, an alumnus, had established an entertainment law scholarship. Its unclear whether Freedman informed McGeorge of his litigation when he applied. (He graduated in 1990, shortly before the assault settlement was finalized.) The law school tells THR it was unaware of the resurfaced allegation when it accepted his scholarship bequest and that, since alerted, it hasnt distributed funds and removed videos of his speaking engagements from view.

Likewise, the California State Bar wont reveal whether Freedman notified it of his sexual assault case when he sought to join. Moral character reviews are confidential, it tells THR. Yet the organization also explains: While we are unable to comment on standards that existed in 1991, speaking generally, we can say that today, serious allegations, including those involving sexual assault, would be given serious and appropriate consideration in the moral character review process.

THR asked Freedman whether he disclosed his case to these institutions, and what effect, if any, he believes the accusation and settlement have had on his career and work. He declined to address them. In a statement, he said: It has been reported that the matter was settled without any admission of liability on anyones part. It feels highly insensitive for any response to be used as a sword or a shield.

In a May 30 filing in the Lanng case, Freedmans side argued that no one agrees to pay $10 million when they have done nothing wrong. Questioned why, by the same logic, his 1991 settlement payment of $40,000 was not also a tacit admonition of culpability, Freedman writes THR, I have consistently denied liability and his own payout was covered by my parents homeowners insurance company for a relatively nominal sum which the carrier believed was substantially less than the likely cost of litigation.

Litigation is depleting for every party involved. The attorneys advocating for each side typically understand this most of all. But for Bryan Freedman it can also beinvigorating.

I cant wait for the phone to ring, honestly, he says at the end of THRs time with him. I have no idea who is going to call, what the case is going to be about, what Im going to hear, what crisis or trauma someone is going through, and how I can help them. I feel the fire in my belly about wanting, with desperation, to help them in their situation.

Lachlan Cartwright contributed reporting.

Bryan Freedman outside the Santa Monica Courthouse. Photographed by Shayan Asgharnia This story first appeared in the June 12 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.