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Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis tearfully testified Thursday in graphic detail about a 2013 sexual encounter with a woman who says he raped her — as his four grown children and ex-wife sat in the courtroom.

Haggis, 69, told jurors in the civil rape trial that the Jan. 31, 2013, night he spent with former publicist Haleigh Breest at his Soho apartment was consensual, asserting he only got oral sex from her — and contradicting much of Breest’s testimony, including that they had intercourse.

Haggis has maintained the tryst was consensual.

On his second day on the witness stand, the filmmaker’s three daughters and son, and ex-wife Deborah Rennard, sat stoically in Manhattan Supreme Court.

The “Crash” director repeatedly said he found Breest, then 25, “adorable” before, during and after the encounter.

Breest told him “I’m good at this” before giving him oral sex in a guest bedroom in his Mercer Street penthouse, he claimed.

“The way she said it was kind of adorable,” Haggis said. “It was almost like her Jessica Rabbit imitation.”


  Paul Haggis testified Thursday in graphic detail about the sexual encounter he had with rape accuser Haleigh Breest Steven Hirsch Paul Haggis testified Thursday in graphic detail about the sexual encounter he had with rape accuser Haleigh Breest Steven Hirsch

Haggis testified the sex act went on for 10 to 20 minutes before he fell asleep and eventually woke up, moving to his own bedroom — claiming he made sure the sleeping Breest was covered by a blanket.

Breest has testified Haggis forced her to give him oral sex, attempted to give her forced oral sex and eventually raped her.

Haggis told the jury he “had no memory” of intercourse or giving Breest oral sex that night.


  Haggis claimed that Breest give him consensual oral sex, but he didn’t recall having intercourse with her. Steven Hirsch Haggis claimed that Breest give him consensual oral sex, but he didn’t recall having intercourse with her. Steven Hirsch

But the “Million Dollar Baby” screenwriter said the night “had kind of been a dance” where Breest said several times “I shouldn’t” while they were kissing.

Then when Haggis attempted to take off Breest’s tights she was “laughing and squirming,” saying, “I don’t want you to see me. I’m fat,” Haggis claimed.

“I said, ‘You’re not fat, you’re adorable,'” Haggis testified.

Haggis claimed every time Breest expressed hesitation, he gave her space to think and even offered to call her a cab at one point — which he said she turned down.

“She seemed conflicted in some way,” Haggis said. “If she feels that way I’ll take her downstairs and find a cab for her.”

“It’s really weird behavior, odd behavior,” he added.

Afterward, Haggis said he saw Breest dozens of more times at Cinema Society Events — where she worked part time as a publicist — but decided to move on, dating some 20 to 30 more women up until the time Breest filed her lawsuit in 2017.

“I really liked her. I thought she was adorable. I enjoyed our night together,” Haggis said. “I thought it was fun.”


  Breest testified that she felt like a “trapped animal” during the alleged rape. Steven Hirsch Breest testified that she felt like a “trapped animal” during the alleged rape. Steven Hirsch

“But her behavior. The ‘should-I-shouldn’t-I’s. All these various things … I started to feel like maybe she is too emotionally immature,” Haggis said.

Later Thursday, an emotional Haggis spoke about the fallout the accusations had on his life, career and family.

“I don’t know why women or anyone would lie about things like this,” Haggis said, adding his career was “decimated” because of the accusations.

“To see my daughters sitting in the courtroom right now and my son and my family, I’m humiliated. I’m humiliated,” Haggis through tears.

Breest has told jurors while Haggis was allegedly raping her, “I was a trapped animal.”

After a film premiere event, Haggis asked Breest to come back to his apartment for drinks, which Breest claims she was pressured to do after asking Haggis to go to a public bar instead.

Once at the apartment, Breest claims she said “no” and resisted Haggis advances throughout the night.

Jurors saw text messages Breest sent to a close friend the following day describing the encounter, telling the friend she “kept saying no” to Haggis.

Haggis has argued all the accusations are false and were dredged up by the Church of Scientology — of which he was a member for over 30 years and which he has criticized publicly.

In a statement at the start of trial, the Church of Scientology said it “has nothing to do with the claims against Haggis nor does it have any relation to the attorneys behind the case or the accusers.”

“From day one, Haggis conspired with anti-Scientologists to shame his own accusers by ‘accusing’ them of making their claims on behalf of the Church of Scientology,” the statement said. “The claim is absurd and patently false.”

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