Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield made his first court appearance on Wednesday, a day after turning himself in to authorities to face charges of child sex abuse stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched a minor on the set of a TV series he was directing in New Mexico.

Albuquerque police issued a warrant for his arrest last week on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady,” which was filmed in Albuquerque.

“Tim Busfield denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false,” attorney Larry Stein said in a statement to CBS News. “As a voluntary step, he submitted to an independent polygraph examination regarding those allegations and passed.”

The 68-year-old actor, who is married to actor Melissa Gilbert and is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” has vowed to fight the charges. In a video shared before turning himself in, Busfield called the allegations lies.

Prosecutors are seeking to keep Busfield in custody pending trial, citing a “history of alleged sexual misconduct.” They filed a motion early Wednesday detailing their reasons for the request, pointing to what they described as a documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over two decades. They also said witnesses have expressed fear regarding retaliation and professional harm.

Another allegation was reported to law enforcement the same day Busfield turned himself in, Albuquerque Deputy District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch told the judge Wednesday in a court filing. A father of a then-16-year-old girl alleged Busfield kissed and inappropriately touched his daughter, who he said was auditioning for a role at B Street Theatre, an organization Busfield and his brother founded in Sacramento, California. The incident occurred several years ago, according to the document.

Busfield allegedly “begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy,” Brandenburg-Koch said in the motion. The girl’s father, who is a therapist himself, said he thought it was the best thing to do at the time, according to the prosecutor.

In a statement to CBS Sacramento, B Street Theatre said that though Busfield is its founder, he has not had an active role in its operations in any capacity since 2001. The theater declined to comment further on Busfield due to the ongoing investigation.

The motion filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court seeking to keep Busfield in custody also states that research and experience show that offenders are uniquely positioned to evade accountability and circumvent safeguards designed to protect children when they wield authority, status or influence.

“In light of the defendant’s demonstrated disregard for boundaries, authority and compliance, no condition or combination of conditions of release can reasonably protect the victims or the community,” the motion states.

It will be up to a judge to determine whether to grant the request. A detention hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Prosecutors also took issue with Busfield disseminating a video to the media outlet TMZ on Tuesday, suggesting he was prioritizing “personal narrative control and public relations” over compliance with the court process.

According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the police department says the child reported that he was 7 years old when Busfield touched him multiple times on private areas over his clothing. Busfield allegedly touched him on another occasion when he was 8, the complaint said.

The complaint also says the child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him.

The boy’s twin brother told authorities he also was touched by Busfield but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.

The mother of the twins reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint said.

In an interview with police last fall, Busfield denied the allegations and suggested that the boys’ mother was seeking revenge for her children being replaced on the series. The argument was echoed by Busfield’s attorney Tuesday.

The investigation began in November 2024 after a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The boys’ parents had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.

Busfield’s attorney said an independent investigation by Warner Bros. was unable to corroborate allegations of inappropriate behavior by Busfield. But prosecutors in their filing argued that the investigator failed to talk to key witnesses.

A publicist for Gilbert said she is “not making public statements at this time.” 

“Any purported ‘statements’ circulating online — including AI-generated deepfakes of her ‘breaking her silence’ — should not be treated as coming from her,” publicist Ame Van Iden said in a statement, adding, “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”

Against all odds and internet whispers, Timothée Chalamet didn’t just dodge the Kardashian curse but appeared to have broken the internet and the cycle.

Fresh off his first Critics Choice awards win, the American-French heartthrob earned his first Golden Globe award after five nominations with his lady love Kylie Jenner by his side during both major wins, leaving the sensationalised media narrative in dust.

On Sunday night January 11, the 30-year-old won his first-ever Golden Globe for his lead role in the sports dramedy Marty Supreme.

He took home the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, outshining highly competitive nominees including Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) and George Clooney (Jay Kelly). 

In addition to thanking his cast, crew and fellow nominees, the Dune star gave a sweet shout to his parents and girlfriend of nearly three years, saying, “for my parents, for my partner—I love you. Thank you so much.”

Upon the special mention, cameras quickly panned to a visibly moved Kylie, who was seen smiling, clapping, and hugging Chalamet’s Marty Supreme co-star Odessa A’zion.

Interestingly, this was the two-time Oscar nominee’s second major public acknowledgement of their relationship in a week.

At the Critics’ Choice Awards on January 4, he gave a more detailed tribute, thanking his “partner of three years” for their “foundation”.

Chalamet lovingly and publicly addressing Kylie as his “partner” in his acceptance speeches effectively countered negative claims surrounding their relationship. 

Moreover some people even went to the extent of claiming that the Call Me By Your Name actor fell victim to the Kardashian curse, an online theory that men who date members of the Kardashian-Jenner family experience a decline in their personal or professional lives.

He was dragged into the narrative in the wake of his 2025 Oscar loss for A Complete Unknown.

Despite being a favourite after winning a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award, Chalamet losing the Best Actor Oscar to Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) came as a major upset for his supporters. 

Fans pointed to the Khy founder’s presence at the ceremony as the “jinx” that caused the upset.

The Kardashian curse rumours gained significant traction because Chalamet’s only major win of the 2025 season occurred when Kylie was absent.

Did Kylie actually bring bad luck? Tracking Chalamet’s award losses

Chalamet has lost four major individual awards with Kylie in his presence since they began dating in early 2023.

2024 Golden Globes: Nominated for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy (Wonka); lost to Paul Giamatti.

2025 Golden Globes: Nominated for Best Actor – Drama (A Complete Unknown); lost to Adrien Brody.

2025 BAFTAs: Nominated for Best Actor (A Complete Unknown); lost to Adrien Brody.

2025 Academy Awards (Oscars): Nominated for Best Actor (A Complete Unknown); lost to Adrien Brody.

The turning point

However, now the Grammy winner has largely dispelled the “curse” narrative by winning two major awards for Marty Supreme with Kylie by his side

It seems Chalamet went the extra mile to fend off any Kardashian curse rumours, bothering the Kardashians star.

By working harder than ever, he delivered a stunning performance in Marty Supreme, earning his first Critics’ Choice and Golden Globe awards, which ultimately brought him one step closer to a major Oscar win after two snubs.

Notably, after his recent wins, prediction markets and critics now consider Chalamet a frontrunner for the Best Actor Oscar at the upcoming Academy Awards in March 2026.

Kardashian curse in detail

The “Kardashian curse” is a popular media theory and internet urban legend that suggests men who become romantically involved with members of the Kardashian-Jenner family go through a period of downfall in their personal or professional lives

Alleged Victims of the “curse”

Lamar Odom

Khloé Kardashian’s ex-husband’s NBA career declined, followed by public struggles with substance abuse that culminated in a near-fatal overdose in 2015.

Kanye West

Kim Kardashian’s ex-husband experienced public mental health struggles and a series of controversies and public outbursts that led to a decline in his reputation and business partnerships after their divorce.

Kris Humphries

After his 72-day marriage to Kim, his NBA career was widely seen to have never fully recovered, and he faced relentless public scrutiny and booing in arenas.

Scott Disick

Throughout his long on-again, off-again relationship with Kourtney, he battled publicly with alcoholism and was frequently featured in the family’s reality shows for his erratic behavior and partying.

Tristan Thompson and James Harden

Both NBA players experienced a decline in performance or public image issues after dating Khloé.

While the Kardashian-Jenner family has largely dismissed the theory as a misogynistic and “offensive” narrative Kylie explained, “They come and can’t handle it… I was built for this level of celebrity—the other men weren’t.”