Gary Oldman is one of the most celebrated actors of his time with roles in popular franchises such as Harry Potter and the Dark Knight. He has also won many accolades such as an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for his performances. Despite critical acclaim as an actor, Oldman’s legacy is haunted by his personal life, particularly the domestic assault allegation against him.
During his divorce from then-wife Donya Fiorentino, Oldman was accused of domestic abuse, which garnered severe media attention. While the allegation was proven false and Oldman was publically defended by his son, the incident undeniably impacted the otherwise family-friendly public image and overall nice persona of the actor. Here is how the allegation affected Oldman’s legacy.
Gary Oldman’s Ex-Wife, Donya Fiorentino, Accused Him of Domestic Assault During Their Divorce
In 2018, Gary Oldman was arguably at the peak of prowess and cementing his legacy as an actor. He won the Best Actor Academy Award for the first time in his career at the 90th Academy Awards, for his role as Winston Churchill, in the war drama film Darkest Hour.
However, what should have been a career high point for Oldman, was marred by his ex-wife, Donya Fiorentino, once again accusing the actor of domestic assault. Following Oldman’s Oscar win, Fiorentino gave the following statement to TMZ:
“Congratulations, Gary and congratulations to the Academy for awarding not one but two abusers with Oscars. I thought we had evolved. What happened to the #MeToo movement?”
Fiorentino’s statement was a call back to the domestic abuse allegations against Oldman in 2001 when the couple was in the middle of their divorce.
According to an article published by the New York Daily News, Fiorentino accused Oldman of hitting her with a phone in her divorce papers. Although Fiorentino had filed a police complaint in 2001 (via USA Today), Oldman was never charged or arrested. She later spoke in depth about the allegations in 2018 in light of the #MeToo Movement.
Gary Oldman was Cleared of the Domestic Abuse Allegation, But It Remains a Dark Spot in His Legacy
Fiorentino’s comments about Oldman, particularly the alleged incident of domestic abuse received widespread media attention in light of Oldman’s Academy Award nomination and eventual victory. Oldman’s representative, Doug Urbanski, was disappointed with Fiorentino’s claims, arguing that Oldman had already been investigated and cleared of the domestic abuse allegation.
Similarly, Oldman’s elder son with Fiorentino, Gulliver Oldman, penned an open letter in 2018, defending his father from the abuse allegation. Gulliver, who Fiorentino claimed had witnessed the domestic abuse incident, blasted the journalists for spreading lies against his father.
“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 made the above statement (via Variety) dismissing the allegations against Oldman. He also argued that not only had the court settled the issue years ago, but Oldman receiving the custody of him and his brother was additional proof that the allegation against the Batman Begins actor was false.
Nonetheless, the media attention given to the allegation in light of Oldman’s Oscar win negatively impacted his achievement. At the same time, the domestic abuse allegation has become intrinsically linked with what should have been the proudest moment of the veteran actor’s career. As a result, despite being vindicated by the court and publically defended by his son, the incident permanently scared Oldman’s legacy.
