Actress Eliza Dushku reportedly receives secret $9.5 million settlement from CBS after accusing co-star of sexual harassment

CBS reportedly paid actress Eliza Dushku — formerly of the network's prime-time drama "Bull" — $9.5 million in a settlement after she accused her co-star, Michael Weatherly, of sexual harassment.

What are the details?

A New York Times report alleges that before her character was written off the show, CBS handed down the settlement.

In 2017, Dushku was signed to the show for a three-episode appearance that was intended to turn into a regular and continuous role.

Before that could happen, however, Dushku, 37, reportedly accused Weatherly, 50, of harassment, saying that he'd verbally sexually harassed her both in private and in front of castmates.

Weatherly reportedly made a rape joke directed at Dushku, which included other sexual violence remarks, as well as comments about a threesome involving Dushku.

In a statement, Weatherly said that the remarks were made as his character.

"During the course of taping our show, I made some jokes mocking some lines in the script," he said. "When Eliza told me that she wasn't comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized."

"After reflecting on this further," he continued, "I better understand that what I said was both not funny and not appropriate, and I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza."

What else?

Shortly after bringing her feelings out in the open, Dushku's role quickly evaporated, and the actress reportedly felt that she'd been dismissed for airing her grievances.

Both Weatherly and the show's writer and producer, Glenn Gordon Caron, disputed the notion in statements to the Times.

Caron said that the show's decision to write Duskhu's character off the show was made on a creative directive.

"The idea that our not exercising her option to join the series was in any punitive just couldn't be further from the truth," Caron said.

Weatherly added, "It's my recollection that I didn't tell anyone how they should do their job regarding the hiring or firing of anybody."

Dushku reportedly received the $9.5 million after CBS did not pick up her option. The sum, according to the report, is an estimate of what the actress would reportedly have made if she'd remained on the show for four seasons.

A spokesperson for the network told the Times that their work as a company with regard to a "safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace" is "far from done."

"The allegations in Ms. Dushku's claims are an example that, while we remain committed to a culture defined by a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace, our work is far from done," the spokesperson said. "The settlement of these claims reflects the projected amount that Ms. Dushku would have received for the balance of her contract as a series regular, and was determined in a mutually agreed upon mediation process at the time."