John Travolta Denies Allegations of Sexually Assaulting Cruise Ship Employee

Savages star fires back regarding allegations he engaged in misconduct on a cruise in 2009

By Brandi Fowler Aug 04, 2012 8:36 PMTags
John Travolta Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

John Travolta is fighting back against allegations that he sexually assaulted a former Royal Caribbean employee in 2009 and tried to pay him to keep quiet. 

A month after Fabian Zanzi filed suit against Travolta, accusing him of "forcefully embracing" him while naked on a cruise, the Savages star responded, denying all of Zanzi's claims.

In the documents filed Friday, Travolta admitted he was a passenger on the cruise around June 2009, but denied engaging in any type of sexual misconduct.

Zanzi previously described his alleged encounter with Travolta in a graphic, 16-page lawsuit, which said Travolta forced him to engage in contact that was "nonconsensual, inappropriate, extreme and outrageous," when he was supposedly appointed as Travolta's personal suite attendant on a cruise.

The lawsuit also alleged that Travolta offered Zanzi $12,000 to keep quiet about the incident. Travolta's response denied that allegation, as well.

Travolta is asking that the lawsuit be dismissed and for Zanzi to pay his attorney's fees. 

—Additional reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum