Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson in 'Bombshell;' (inset) Jeanine Pirro (Lionsgate; Getty Images)

“I just talked to TheWrap…it’s an online publication,” Fox News star Jeanine Pirro says in Jay Roach’s new fact-based drama “Bombshell.” Hmm, that sounds familiar.

That line comes from a scene in “Bombshell,” which opens on Friday, where the mainstays of Fox News are doing damage control for network founder and CEO, Roger Ailes, after former anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment. One of those mainstays is Pirro, the former judge turned TV host, who says that in her attempt to defuse the situation, she just finished talking with…well, us.

First of all, thanks for the shout-out. But to further prove that Roach and screenwriter Charles Randolph really did their homework, it just so happens that the real Pirro did actually talk to TheWrap in July 2016, one day after the suit was filed. Why, you can even read that very story from reporter Brian Flood published on July 7, 2016: “Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro Rips Gretchen Carlson’s ‘Absurd’ Lawsuit.”

Also Read: Fox News' Jeanine Pirro Rips Gretchen Carlson's 'Absurd' Lawsuit

According to the “Bombshell” screenplay, the big-screen Pirro (played by Alanna Ubach) says, “I just talked to TheWrap…it’s an online publication…I said, ‘How sad it is we’ve got this woman making these complaints when there are real victims out there.'”

Turns out that’s pretty close to what Pirro told us at the time. What a coincidence! She also called Carlson’s lawsuit “absurd” and defended Ailes — well before it became publicly known that Carlson secretly taped many of her conversations with Ailes that formed the basis of the accusations in her suit.

“When I read what was clearly absurdities, in this complaint, I said to myself, ‘How sad that you’ve got this woman who is making these complaints when there are real victims out there,'” Pirro, a former prosecutor and judge in New York’s Westchester County, told TheWrap in 2016. “Honestly, this is a decent man and I have spent my career fighting for women. I have no bones about criticizing someone when they deserve to be criticized. But this is ridiculous.”

Also Read: Gretchen Carlson Calls on Fox News to Release Former Employees From NDAs

Back in July 2016, Carlson filed a lawsuit in Bergen County, N.J., saying that she refused Ailes’ sexual advances and “as a direct and proximate result” was fired by Fox News. At the time, Ailes called Carlson’s accusations “false” and added in a statement, “This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously.”

Soon after the suit was filed, though, Ailes resigned in disgrace — and Carlson later settled with Fox News for $20 million. The network ultimately paid out $45 million in settlement money in the nine months following Ailes’ departure. The following May, Ailes died at age 77 after complications from subdural hematoma.

“Bombshell” stars Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, who also accused Ailes of sexual harassment in her memoir (claims that Ailes likewise denied). Nicole Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson, and Margot Robbie plays an amalgamation of some of the other female employees at Fox News who came forward to accuse Ailes of misconduct.

The film opens in New York and LA on Friday and goes wide on Dec. 20.

Timeline of Fox Sexual Harassment and Other Scandals, From Roger Ailes to Bill O'Reilly (Photos)

The sudden ousting of Fox Sports President Jamie Horowitz and the suspension of Fox Business Host Charles Payne this week are the latest signs of a sea shift in the Murdoch-run entertainment giant in its response to allegations of sexual harassment and other questionable behavior by executives and on-air talent.
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July 6, 2016: Gretchen Carlson files lawsuit against Roger Ailes
Former “Fox & Friends” anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes, who denied her claims.
Fox and Friends
July 9, 2016: Six other women claim Ailes harassed them
Former Republican National Committee field adviser Kellie Boyle and model Marsha Callahan were among the six women who accused Ailes of previous harassment. Ailes denied the claims.
Getty Images
July 19, 2016: Megyn Kelly says she was sexually harassed by Ailes
Amid an external law firm’s investigation into the multiple claims against Ailes, then primetime host Megyn Kelly told investigators that she had been harassed by Ailes years ago. Kelly wrote in her memoir about talking to investigators about the allegations.
Fox News
July 21, 2016: Ailes resigns
Fox News announced that Ailes had resigned as network chairman after two decades of dominating cable news, walking away with a $40 million severance package.
Getty Images
Jan. 10, 2017: Bill O’Reilly settlement comes to light
News surfaced that the “O’Reilly Factor” host had previously settled with Juliet Huddy, a Fox News employee who claimed he tried to derail her career after she rebuffed his romantic advances.
Getty Images
March 8, 2017: Fox News settles with Tamara N. Holder
Fox News paid former on-air contributor Tamara N. Holder more than $2.5 million following allegations that Fox News Latino vice president Francisco Cortes tried to coerce her into performing oral sex on him.
Fox News Latino
March 24, 2017: Fox News comptroller Judy Slater sacked
Fox News has fired longtime comptroller Judy Slater after an internal investigation concluded she had engaged in a pattern of racist comments and behavior; several of the employees later filed lawsuits against the network over the incidents.
Fox News
April 1, 2017: Claims against O’Reilly settled for $13 million
A New York Times investigation found that O’Reilly and Fox News had paid $13 million in total to five women who had worked or appeared on “O’Reilly Factor” over the years and made claims of sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior.
Fox News
April 3, 2017: Another lawsuit against Ailes and Fox News
Fox News contributor Julie Roginsky filed a lawsuit accusing Ailes of sexually harassing her. She also alleged that Fox News co-president Bill Shine retaliated against her for making the claims. Ailes denied the allegations, and Shine declined to comment.
Getty Images
April 19, 2017: Fox News cuts ties with O’Reilly
Fox News announced that O’Reilly would not return to the network following its external investigation into claims of sexual harassment.
Twitter
April 21, 2017: Debbie Schlussel claims Sean Hannity invited her to his hotel
Former Fox News guest Debbie Schlussel claimed that primetime host Sean Hannity had once invited her back to his hotel after an event they attended, and that she was never invited back to Hannity's show after she rebuffed his advances. The host denied the claims. Schlussel later clarified that she did not consider the encounter to constitute sexual harassment. "I thought he was weird and creepy," she told LawNewz.
Getty Images
April 24, 2017: Andrea Tarantos files her own lawsuit
Andrea Tantaros, a former host of the Fox show “The Five,” filed a new lawsuit against Ailes, Shine and other network executives, claiming that an extensive online harassment campaign had been waged against her. Fox News sought arbitration and called Tantaros “not a victim” but “an opportunist.”
Various
May 1, 2017: Bill Shine resigns
Following Roginsky and Tarantos’ lawsuits, Fox News announced that Shine was exiting the network.
Getty Images
May 19, 2017: Bob Beckel fired at Fox News
Fox News fired “The Five” co-host Bob Beckel after he was accused of making an insensitive remark to an African-American employee. Fox News human resources took less than 48 hours to investigate the incident and recommend dismissal, a network executive told TheWrap.
Fox News
June 19, 2017: Investigation by the state of New York
The New York State Division on Human Rights launched an investigation into Fox News, over her sexual harassment claims by former “O’Reilly Factor” guest commentator Wendy Walsh against O’Reilly, Walsh’s attorney Lisa Bloom said. O’Reilly has denied Walsh’s claims.
Fox News
July 3, 2017: Fox Sports fires Jamie Horowtiz
Jamie Horowitz was abruptly ousted from his position as president of Fox Sports National Networks amid allegations of sexual harassment against Horowitz, an individual familiar with the matter told the New York Times. Horowitz’s attorney denied any misconduct.
Getty Images
July 6, 2017: Fox Business suspends Charles Payne
Charles Payne, the host of Fox Business’ “Making Money,” was suspended by the network due to an investigation over a three-year relationship with a married political analyst who appeared as a guest on Fox Business and Fox News, the Los Angeles Times reported. Payne denied allegations of sexual harassment, calling them an “ugly lie.”
Fox

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Here’s everything you need to know about accusations that the company has faced so far

The sudden ousting of Fox Sports President Jamie Horowitz and the suspension of Fox Business Host Charles Payne this week are the latest signs of a sea shift in the Murdoch-run entertainment giant in its response to allegations of sexual harassment and other questionable behavior by executives and on-air talent.

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