‘Wonder Woman’ Helmer Patty Jenkins Presents Brett Ratner Award At Jewish National Fund Dinner

UPDATED with video: While tonight’s Jewish National Fund dinner honoring several Hollywood heavyweights wasn’t open to the press, sources said that Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins stepped up to present Brett Ratner with the Tree of Life Award for his philanthropic work for Israel. Jenkins’ Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot exited the job and much was made of the move in reports. A source said that Gadot is in China but added that contrary to reports that made it appear she just told organizers, she in fact informed the organization October 19 that she would not be back in time. You can watch as Jenkins recalled how Ratner, having only met Jenkins briefly, wrote the check to cover all the costs of her thesis film, explaining that Steven Spielberg did the same thing for him and it is what you are supposed to do.

Here’s the video of Jenkins’ speech tonight:

EARLIER: Press will not be allowed to attend tonight’s Jewish National Fund dinner honoring several Hollywood heavyweights including Brett Ratner, the Rush Hour director and partner in RatPac Entertainment which co-finances many of Warner Bros’ event pictures.

The no-press edict stands despite heightened interest in the event following scheduled presenter Gal Gadot dropping out. The Wonder Woman star canceled last week, with media reports from Los Angeles to Jerusalem linking the cancellation with Gadot’s recent statements supporting victims of sexual harassment in Hollywood.

A spokesperson for the organization confirms to Deadline that reporters are not welcome and won’t be allowed inside the event.

Gadot cited scheduling issues after promoting Justice League in China, but that schedule has been in place for some time.

Attempts to reach Ratner were unsuccessful.

A report in the Times Of Israel noted a past accusation by Olivia Munn in which the actress accused Ratner of masturbating in front of her, an allegation first told – without his name – in her 2010 memoir Suck It, Wonder Woman! She later named him; Ratner confirmed that the allegation was indeed about him, but he denied doing it.

Tonight’s event at the Loews Hollywood Hotel honors Ratner’s long support of the Jewish organization. Ratner is CEO of RatPac Entertainment, the company he founded with Steven Mnuchin and James Packer, with Len Blavatnik replacing Packer as principal financier. Ratner is being honored with a Tree of Life Award for his philanthropic efforts in support of Israel.

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