Steven Soderbergh

by sisieq Fri 04 Feb 2011, 01:02

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Steven Soderbergh Facing Paternity Suit
6:48 PM 2/3/2011 by THR staff

An Australian woman who claims he fathered her baby is suing him for child support
Steven Soderbergh is being sued for child support by an Australian woman who claims the filmmaker fathered her baby daughter.

According to the suit filed Wednesday in NYC, Frances Lawrencina Anderson says Soderbergh (who has been wed to TV personality/novelist Jules Asner since 2003) helped pay medical expenses during Anderson's pregnancy.

Documents, obtained by the Associated Press, also state that a DNA test proved he was the father of the girl, who was born in August.

Anderson lives in Sydney, where Soderbergh directed his play "Tot Mom"(which ran from December 2009 to February 2010).

by melbert Fri 04 Feb 2011, 01:16

Oh Steven, Steven, Steven. Don't ya know how to prevent that?

by watching Fri 04 Feb 2011, 02:00

Check out the name of the kid - PEARL BUTTON. That borders on child abuse.

Steven's allegedly aussie baby

Oscar director Steven Soderbergh 'fathered' my Aussie baby

OCEAN'S Eleven director Steven Soderbergh has been slapped with a paternity suit in New York naming him as the father of a five-month-old Australian girl.

Frances Lawrencina Anderson says she "had sexual intercourse" with the married "Sex, Lies and Videotape" director "on many occasions covering a period of time covering all possible dates of conception, including but not limited to December 2009."

The New York Post reports the Academy Award-winner was in Sydney at the time directing a play he wrote called "Tot Mom."

Anderson's suit says she gave birth to their baby, Pearl Button Anderson, on Aug. 30, 2010.

Her lawyer, famed legal eagle Raoul Felder, declined comment on the case.

The filing says Soderbergh, Anderson and Pearl "have submitted to a DNA test, which has confirmed that (Soderbergh) is the father of the child."

Soderbergh, 48, "has acknowledged that he is the father of the child verbally and by offering to pay various medical and other expenses incurred by [Anderson] in relation to the pregnancy," but the suit seeks a declaration that he is the father, as well as an unspecified amount in child support.

Anderson's age and profession are unknown. The court filing says simply that she lives in Sydney and is unmarried.

Calls to Soderbergh's lawyer and manager were not immediately returned.

"The Girlfriend Experience" director has been married to former E! personality Jules Asner since 2003. The couple has no children. Soderbergh has a daughter, Sarah, from his first marriage.

by melbert Fri 04 Feb 2011, 02:29

Jules must not have accompanied him to Australia. And Pearl Button is a ridiculous name.

by Katiedot Fri 04 Feb 2011, 03:51

Pearl Button is a ridiculous name. Makes Sunday Roast seem normal by comparison (thanks Nicole and Keith).

Looks like Soderbergh has learnt how to screw around from his movie star friend, eh?

by Dexterdidit Fri 04 Feb 2011, 05:51

At least George isn't married and he hasn't fathered any Buttons. Some parents should be sued for their baby names.

by watching Fri 04 Feb 2011, 10:12

Of course - he was 'separated' from the wife when he fathered the kid. Sure. Ain't that always the way. I suppose separated is better then being on a break. Affair = Mid life crisis for Steven?? Not as successful and lauded as he was 10 years ago and needs a fling whilst separated from his wife whilst to make him feel better about himself. Fathering a child with another woman whilst separated - how do you get your marriage back together and work on it after that? All power to them for trying but if I was separated from my long term partner and he knocked someone else up, I can't imagine getting back together with them. That would be hell of a lot of therapy there to make that relationship functional. I would suspect it wouldn't exactly make your relationship stronger telling your estranged spouse that you knocked someone else up and you were going to have a child on the other side of the world that you are going to financial take care of and yhat you will know have a relationship with the mother of your child for the rest of your life. There would have to be some trust issues there. I guess whilst they were separated and working on their issues, Steven forgot the vow to 'forsake all others'. Dumbass.

E Online article - the wife knew

Source: Steven Soderbergh Came Clean to Wife About Fathering a Child While Separated

Steven Soderbergh is in the middle of a very bad girlfriend experience.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker was slapped with a paternity suit today in New York, filed by an Australian woman who claims they had an affair in December 2009 and he's the father of her now 5-month-old daughter.

Well, she's apparently right. He admits to being the father and his smokin' wife, model and former E! host Jules Asner, already knows all about it.

A source close to the couple confirms to E! News that Soderbergh and Asner were separated while he lived in Australia to direct a play he wrote, Tot Mom, which opened at the Sydney Theatre Company in December 2009.

The very month, "including but not limited to," that Frances Lawrencina Anderson claims that she and the Traffic director had "sexual intercourse on many occasions covering all possible dates of [conception]...and as a result thereof, she became pregnant," according to the suit filed Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court.

He "has acknowledged that he is the father of the child verbally and by offering to pay various medical and other expenses incurred by [Anderson] in relation to the pregnancy," the suit, obtained by the New York Daily News, continues.

True that. Our source says that Soderbergh came clean to his wife immediately upon hearing he had fathered a child and that he has been trying to work things out with Anderson for months.

"Steven really felt like he was trying to do the right thing and being very generous," the source says. "They've been trying to settle this for almost a year."

Soderbergh's camp is convinced that Anderson went after the director where he lives because Australian law would only obligate him to financially provide for daughter Pearl Button Anderson, who was born Aug. 30, 2010. Stating that Anderson is not able to sufficiently support her daughter, the suit demands that Soderbergh pay for the mother's health insurance, in addition to child support.

Soderbergh has been married to Asner, his second wife, since 2003.

by Katiedot Fri 04 Feb 2011, 11:57

Well, if they were really separated and that's not just a PR-friendly cover up, then no doubt both parties were 'allowed' to sleep around.

But if he didn't want a paternity suit and the costs that come along with it, he should have used a condom. Oh wait, it's always the women who have to make the effort, right?

Am I being too cynical here in thinking that Ms Anderson saw the gravy train arrive at her station and hopped right on board, huh?

by Lighterside Fri 04 Feb 2011, 14:40

What I want to know is did he learn NOTHING from George during that entire time that they were partners about keeping yourself SAFE when you screw around? Seriously, whether he was separated or not...WTF was he thinking having sex with anyone in this day and age without protection? I wonder how many times this bonehead brought home a present to his wife, if he's this dumb! "Oh no honey, I have NO idea where these little "critters" came from!"

Where's his sign? I think Bill Engval could fix him right up with one! You know the old adage "when you're stupid you suffer"...applies here. Dufus! poisson davril

Yeah, this woman's taste in baby names leaves a lot to be desired! Geesh the child is going to grow up wanting to smack mom in the head for that one!

by melbert Fri 04 Feb 2011, 16:31

No one is saying her age either. Was she some sweet young "thang" who had no idea WHO he was? One thing I will give him, unlike so many others who get caught with their pants down around their ankles, is that he acknowledged this, even taking a paternity test and paying expenses. So many others deny, deny, deny. Not saying he was right in boinkin' around, especially without protection, but at least he has some honorable qualities?

by Merlin Fri 04 Feb 2011, 18:47

I remember reading Jules was interested in George at one time...I bet she thought Steven was a 'safe' option!

by melbert Fri 04 Feb 2011, 20:30

Maybe Steven just got the 7 year itch? Or since Jules is 42, maybe Steven wanted to trade her in for two 21 year olds. Since Jules apparently wanted marriage, Steven was the "safe" option. At least with George, she would have KNOWN he wouldn't be true or around for long.

by playfuldeb Sat 05 Feb 2011, 07:11

I wonder if these celebrity baby names are false so that as the child grows, the media will have a harder time following them around or tracking them down. Lots of actors have "stage names" and I wonder if this applies to their offspring as well.

by it's me Sat 05 Feb 2011, 12:52

could really be like that

by Lighterside Sat 05 Feb 2011, 15:00

You know Deb that's a very good observation but I'm afraid that they really do name them those crazy baby names, to be different. I think they think it's expected of them. Of course they can't be seen as mainstream and use what we would consider "normal" baby names, that would be so ordinary! Rolling Eyes

by Guest Sat 05 Feb 2011, 16:30

Pearl is lovely and I guess it's always possible that Button may be a family/relative's name... it's quite a common surname...

Crazy (though hilariously funny) is Moxie Crimefighter (Penn Gillette) and Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee.) Smile

by Dexterdidit Sun 06 Feb 2011, 05:06

I actually have a niece called Pearl her sister is Saphire. Pearl was going to be called ruby but her mum thought it was too commen at the time pity Pearl has bright red hair and it would have suited her to a T. I think it is the Button people are having a problem with. I remember Heavenly Hirani Tigerlily, Michael Hutchance and Paula Yates little gir, but she isn't alone with sisters Peaches and Fifi Trixibelle and there is another I think. I like Moxie I tried to get my sister to name her new pup Moxie but she went for Max. We took Max and Dexter to the beach yesterday and to much confusion there were a couple of other dogs called Max and all you could here were people yelling out Max. Our pup got quite confused how everyone knew his name. When the kids are old enough they can change it look at Zowie Bowie he is no Joe!

by Katiedot Tue 08 Feb 2011, 13:20

Found by Ello.

Nice of E! to come rushing to the aid of one of their ex-colleagues, eh?

From e online

Source: Soderbergh Affair a "Two-Night Stand"

Mon., Feb. 7, 2011 6

by Ted Casablanca

"It was a two-night stand, Steve and Jules are fine."

—Source close to Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh, who's married to Jules Asner. He was slapped with a paternity suit last week after having an affair with an Australian woman

Soderbergh, who won his gold for directing the gritty L.A. soap-opera Traffic, is finding himself in a real-life soap of his own.

So what's really going on here?

"He was down in Australia, directing a play," said a source super-close to Steven and his wife, Jules (who I used to work with at here E!). "They were separated at the time, and, of course, this woman got pregnant, as luck would have it."

Does he want to take care of the kid?

"Take care, yes," said our tight S.S. insider, "but get to know? No. He just wants to pay for the child's support, as he should."

The woman, who is named Lawrencina Anderson, claims she and the Traffic director had "sexual intercourse on many occasions covering all possible dates of [conception]...and as a result thereof, she became pregnant," according to the suit filed Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Soderbergh, we're told, has been trying to settle the matter for almost a year, but the woman's attorneys keep rejecting his offers. And then she decided to sue in the U.S., where she stands a greater chance of prevailing, at least monetarily.

"It was just a two-night affair," reveals the Soderbergh source.

Also, our inside camper insists things are fine on the Jules/Steven front, and that they're getting along well after their brief separation.

Asner even joked to her husband, when he went off to work with Jude Law in the thriller he's now directing, Contagion: "Well, at least you'll have talking points with Jude."

Sounds like the Jules I know!

by lucy Tue 08 Feb 2011, 13:38

WOW!2 night stand,results in the making of another human being,but he doesn't want to know this person just support her? These friends and close sources, just make things worse IMHO.

by Lighterside Tue 08 Feb 2011, 14:48

Guest wrote:Pearl is lovely and I guess it's always possible that Button may be a family/relative's name... it's quite a common surname...

Crazy (though hilariously funny) is Moxie Crimefighter (Penn Gillette) and Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee.)

Pearl by itself I agree is very pretty but I was looking at the complete name, which I thought might be meant to be used together, as in Pearl Button being her entire first name. Other than the story of Benjamin Button, I had never heard it used as a surname before. I guess we really do learn something new everyday! Very Happy

@ lucy ITA the fact that it really was just casual sex with an acquaintance makes it much worse that he didn't have the sense to use a condom. If for no other reason than he had no knowledge of this person's personal history and was taking a tremendous chance with his own health and that of anyone else he has sexual contact with. How irresponsible!

by melbert Tue 08 Feb 2011, 16:47

Pearl Button - not something I've heard before. However, Pearl Necklace - know that!!!! Mopping up the mess

by watching Thu 07 Apr 2011, 12:19

Update on the love child situation:

Article link at Daily Telegragh

Director Steven Soderbergh's the daddy of baby Pearl after all

FILM director Steven Soderbergh has agreed he is the father of an Australian baby girl and has consented to paying a "reasonable" amount of child support.

Frances Anderson, a former film school student, gave birth to Pearl Button Anderson on August 30, after she and Soderbergh had an affair while he was in Sydney directing the play Tot Mom.

Documents lodged in the Manhattan Supreme Court, signed by Soderbergh, stated that he "consents to an order of filiation and the entry of a reasonable order of child support". But Soderbergh's lawyers also said Ms Anderson's summons was filed in the wrong court.

They wanted to have the case shifted from the Supreme Court, where it could be treated more as a claim for damages, to the Family Court, where it would simply be a case about providing for the needs of the baby.

If it were heard in the Family Court, any final settlement would remain secret.

The Oscar-winning director behind films such as Traffic, Erin Brockovich and Ocean's Eleven, Soderbergh asked the Supreme Court to make an order for confidentiality on any personal financial information he provided.

Soderbergh admitted to aspects of a complaint Ms Anderson filed in the New York Supreme Court in early February. He said he and Ms Anderson had "engaged in consensual sexual intimacy and as a result thereof the plaintiff became pregnant". But Soderbergh said he had insufficient knowledge to agree with the truth of some of Ms Anderson's claims, including that she lacked the resources to provide for her daughter, or of her need to engage lawyers to protect the rights of herself and her child.

According to Soderbergh's document, Ms Anderson's demand that Soderbergh should pay her legal fees should be tested at trial.

Neither Soderbergh's nor Ms Anderson's lawyers would discuss the case, although Soderbergh's lawyer, Bernard Claire, earlier accused Ms Anderson of "forum shopping" in the belief she would get more money from a US court than an Australian one.

by Katiedot Thu 07 Apr 2011, 12:22

Soderbergh's lawyer, Bernard Claire, earlier accused Ms Anderson of "forum shopping" in the belief she would get more money from a US court than an Australian one.

.

Possibly. Or possibly she was pissed off that he was being such an asshole about it that she decided to go for the big damages?

Of course if he couldn't take responsibility to not get her pregnant, why would she think he'll take the responsibility to support the child?

by Dexterdidit Thu 07 Apr 2011, 13:11

Yes. He lives in the States an aussie court may not have authority over there. They have enough trouble over here.

by lucy Thu 07 Apr 2011, 15:30

So sad for the child, with a famous father over her lifetime she will read stories like this, and have to deal with not being wanted by her father. I can understand not wanting to be treated like the lottery, but if he didn't want a child he could of practiced his own birth control.

by Lighterside Thu 07 Apr 2011, 17:21

Steven forgot an essential truth..."when you're stupid, you suffer". Unfortunately, so will his offspring.

by Ello Sat 09 Apr 2011, 23:17

An aussie court would have jurisdiction over him. She could enforce the judgment in the US if he didn't pay up, hire one of those bounty hunters. She can sue in the US aswell, I guess, because he is there, but she's only doing it for a bigger award, forum shopping.

In fact, she could track him with her bounty hunter and seize his assets for the debt, repossess his car when he leaves it parked, get a court order to enter his house and take his Oscar! turn up on his film set and remove his cameras. There's a reality show in that, and just and humiliating penance for soderbergh!.

Pearl Button! That is too cruel. .

by Ello Sat 09 Apr 2011, 23:23

and really -
"he has acknowledged that he is the father of the child verbally."
Tosser.

by Atalante Sun 10 Apr 2011, 16:19

Don't we all know men like that ! Basketball

by Ello Sun 10 Apr 2011, 20:49

Yeah, rare to find one with any cash, though! I wonder how minted he really is. He's had some major bombs. There can't be many films that took less than Che. Che 2, of course. the Good German maybe. I just looked them up on Box Office Mojo and that is a close call! Box office was Che - $1.6 million, the Good German - $1.7 million! Worldwide! Budget was Good German - $32,000,000, Che - $70 million!! That gold digger might have picked a dud!

by melbert Sun 10 Apr 2011, 21:14

Oh dear! Ello, I didn't realize they were that big of a loss. I would be hesitant as a studio to drop major funds in his bucket to make films. I know that he has had some success, but those losses are HUGE!

by Ello Sun 10 Apr 2011, 21:34

He's got Liberace coming up too. That's got to be mega-budget - Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, the costumes! the candelabra! I think it's going to be brilliant, Michael Douglas is such a good actor, but it could instead be horrible beyond imagining. Little Pearl Button's lawyer may yet be coming after little Pearl Button for those legal fees.

by melbert Sun 10 Apr 2011, 21:38

I'm looking forward to Liberace!! I loved him when he was on TV, and I can see Michael portraying him. I think that Matt is going to be able to pull off the gayness of his character too.

As far as Pearl Button is concerned, Steven may end up with 17 1/2 years of hell from Pearl's mom and their lawyers!

by Atalante Sun 10 Apr 2011, 22:19

He couldn't find a rubbertree in Aussiland, too bad. Spliff

by melbert Sun 10 Apr 2011, 22:21

With his wife at home, he shouldn't have even done what he did, with or without the "rubber tree". IMHO

by Atalante Sun 10 Apr 2011, 22:22

You said it, shouldn't, but see here the true nature of a man. Very Happy

by melbert Sun 10 Apr 2011, 22:29

Absolutely Atalante. Most men I know wouldn't give up the opportunity if it's waved in front of them, married, in a commited relationship or single. Just in their nature, I guess.

by Ello Sun 10 Apr 2011, 23:55

That's the truth, mel, though it takes a special kind of stupid for someone in his position not to realise the girls throwing themselves at him want something (to meet George Clooney)..

by melbert Mon 11 Apr 2011, 00:12

You know Ello, I really would love to meet George, but if I had to "do" Steven first, NO WAY!!! I will take a pass on that.

by Katiedot Mon 11 Apr 2011, 04:43

@Ello: not even that. Soderbergh is a pretty good catch in his own right - from the point of view of a golddigger.

by Lighterside Mon 11 Apr 2011, 14:40

Katiedot wrote:@Ello: not even that. Soderbergh is a pretty good catch in his own right - from the point of view of a golddigger.

Exactly and let's NOT forget that he's married so he should have had the wherewithal to make SURE (condoms are your friend!) that he didn't get himself in a compromising position because it wouldn't just be affecting HIM! That's another "special kind of stupid" ello was referring to as well!

Did he even consider what ELSE he might have been bringing home to the little wife BESIDES a bouncing baby girl? Albert Einstein he isn't!

by Lighterside Mon 11 Apr 2011, 14:41

melbert wrote:You know Ello, I really would love to meet George, but if I had to "do" Steven first, NO WAY!!! I will take a pass on that.

@ mel...hahahaha! Too funny

by Ello Mon 11 Apr 2011, 21:36

Hahaha! It is well known that pretty people have unattractive friends. National Geographic did a thing on it. But really, sex lies and videotape made him a star at 25 or something. I bet his appeal to girls had a similar meteoric rise (qu -don't meteors fall?).
If he hasn't figured out how to avoid babies with legal teams by now, and Pearl Button is the first, then he's been unbelievably lucky.l

by sandwiches Mon 11 Apr 2011, 22:21

I need to re-assess my friends. Am I the butt ugly one or the pretty one? Laughing

by sisieq Mon 11 Apr 2011, 22:55

sandwiches wrote:I need to re-assess my friends. Am I the butt ugly one or the pretty one?

Not laughing at you, but with you!

by sandwiches Tue 12 Apr 2011, 16:17

sisieq wrote:
sandwiches wrote:I need to re-assess my friends. Am I the butt ugly one or the pretty one?
Not laughing at you, but with you!

Go ahead and laugh at me. Won't be the first time and definitely won't be the last. Razz

by Atalante Tue 12 Apr 2011, 20:58

Well if his kid grows out to be one like this one here : [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , he should have ... ! Very Happy

by melbert Sat 23 Apr 2011, 03:44

Just read over at E! online that Steven "settled" with the baby mama. Sealed records, so no $ amount disclosed. Still doesn't want anything to do with little Pearl. Gee, it must be nice to have hush money...

by Atalante Sat 23 Apr 2011, 17:27

Even worse to get stuck with a baby you didn't really want ! Rolling Eyes

by blubelle Sun 24 Apr 2011, 00:03

My concern is for the baby. There are a lot of people who would love to have kids and can't. If this child isn't wanted I hope it is placed with parents who will love it.

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