Chris Noth Calls Sexual Assault Claims ‘Ridiculous’ While Admitting Infidelity
In Chris Noth’s first interview since multiple women claimed he sexually assaulted them over the course of more than a decade, the actor doubled down on his previous statement that the encounters were all consensual. Speaking to USA Today, Noth positioned his stance through the lens of infidelity, stating: “I strayed on my wife, and it’s devastating to her and not a very pretty picture. What it isn’t is a crime.”
In December 2021, four women came forward with detailed recollections of their encounters with Noth. Initially, two women shared their experiences, claiming that Noth assaulted them in a similar manner more than 10 years apart. Then, a few days later, two former employees from Da Marino, a restaurant Noth has been known to frequent, also stepped forward with allegations of sexual assault.
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Weeks later, more women spoke to Rolling Stone about alleged uncomfortable encounters with the actor that highlighted a pattern of disregard for boundaries and consent. No criminal charges have been filed against Noth.
“There’s nothing I can say to change anyone’s mind when you have that kind of a tidal wave,” Noth told USA Today. “It sounds defensive. I’m not. There’s no criminal court. There’s no criminal trial. There’s nothing for me to get on the stand about and get my story out, get witnesses. And there’s even more absurd add-ons that are completely ridiculous, that have absolutely no basis in fact. And I don’t like talking about it because as soon as I do, you’ll get the Daily Mail or someone grabbing a part of it and doing it, and I don’t want my kids seeing that.”
Noth, who has a 15-year-old and a 3-year-old son with his wife Tara Wilson, shifted his focus in the interview towards his marriage, explaining his thought process behind cheating on her. “You give yourself the same excuses that many men do; it’s just a little side dance, and it’s fun,” he said. “You’re not hurting anybody. No one’s going to know about this, you know, and sex is just enjoyable. And suddenly, a lot of people want to have sex with you. It’s like, ‘Well, I’m not going to get this chance again.'”
The actor added that while he isn’t going to “lay down and just say it’s over,” he stated that potential civil lawsuits are “a money train for a lot of people” and said he believed that fear is the reason many companies no longer want to work with him. In light of the allegations, Noth was dropped by his then-talent agency A3 Artists Agency, and fumbled a $12 million acquisition deal for his tequila company. He also lost his role on the CBS series The Equalizer and was cut from the Season One finale of And Just Like That. Though, he has managed to get one new sponsorship deal, as his interview with USA Today was part of a brand partnership with Samuelsohn, a bespoke suit company that is paying Noth in clothes, not cash.
“It’s a salacious story, but it’s just not a true one. And I can’t just say, ‘Well, OK, that’s it for me’ because of that … I have enough to let a year drift, but I don’t know how to gauge or judge getting back into the club, the business, because corporations are frightened,” he said. “People are afraid of all this. Fear is the overriding operative word when it comes to whether they believe it or not. … I have to just continue on. It’s rough, because people are scared, and their fear leads them.”
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