New deposition testimony has emerged in the sexual abuse case brought by singer and actress Melissa Schuman against Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter. According to sources close to Carter's legal team, multiple individuals Schuman claimed to have confided in about an alleged 2003 assault have testified in depositions that she never reported the incident to them.
Schuman, who was 18 at the time, alleged in an April 2026 deposition that Carter, then 22, sexually assaulted her in Santa Monica, California, during the filming of the movie "The Hollow." Carter has denied all allegations, asserting that their interactions were consensual.
Attorneys for Carter, 46, have been conducting depositions with individuals who worked on "The Hollow" with both Carter and Schuman, 42. These depositions were included in a motion reviewed by The Daily Mail. Representatives for Schuman and Carter have not yet provided further comment.
Film Production Testimony
Daniel Levin, the producer of "The Hollow," stated in his deposition that he observed no signs of distress or conflict between Schuman and Carter on set. According to TMZ, which first reported on the depositions, Levin testified that he "did not observe any fear, distress, avoidance, or behavioral changes in Schuman that would have suggested she had been sexually assaulted by Carter." Levin also indicated that the film crew would have intervened if a sexual assault had been reported.
Nils Larsen, identified as Schuman's former manager, also testified that Schuman never informed him of any alleged assault by Carter. Larsen claimed that Schuman had actually expressed a crush on Carter and that they appeared to get along during the film's production.
Schuman's deposition also mentioned actress Kaley Cuoco, who also appeared in "The Hollow." Schuman stated that she raised the issue with Cuoco on her last day of filming in April 2003. However, a source close to Cuoco told TMZ that the actress had not been deposed to "attest to the veracity" of Schuman's allegations.
Schuman's deposition detailed that Carter allegedly sent her "a series of angry and harassing messages" after telling her that "nothing had happened" between them. She also claimed Carter called her a "manipulative b****," prompting her to change her phone number.
Legal History of Allegations
Melissa Schuman first publicly shared her accusations against Nick Carter in a blog post in 2017. In 2018, she reported her allegations to authorities, but no charges were filed against Carter. Schuman filed a civil lawsuit against Carter for sexual abuse in April 2023. In response, Carter filed a $2.5 million countersuit against Schuman in 2024, alleging that her lawsuit was based on false information and intended to damage his reputation and business interests.