Reynolds sues ex-girlfriend over 'blackmail' bid

Hollywood star Burt Reynolds is suing a former girlfriend, alleging that she threatened to falsely accuse him of abuse if he did not pay millions of dollars in return.

The lawsuit says that Pamela Seals falsely accused Reynolds of yelling at her and stamping on her toes.

Seals, who was Reynolds’s girlfriend for 10 years, told the actor she would publicise her allegations if he did not agree to a hefty settlement that included support for her and her mother, half of Reynolds’s home in Jupiter, Florida, and other compensation.

Reynolds’s lawyer, Bob Montgomery, called Seals’s threats blackmail, saying the actor offered to settle the matter for a million dollars but she refused.

He said because the couple were never married she is not entitled to anything under Florida law.

“She wanted more and more and her demands were absolutely exorbitant,” Montgomery alleged.

The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages and for a court to stop Seals from suing Reynolds in California, where the couple lived temporarily.

In a statement, Reynolds, 68, called the situation ”unfortunate” but would not be “intimidated by false accusations”.

Seals’s lawyer, Mark Maynor, said he had not seen the lawsuit and had no immediate comment.

Reynolds began acting on television in the 1960s and is known for his work in films such as Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, The Longest Yard and Boogie Nights.

In 1996, after a messy divorce from Loni Anderson, Reynolds filed for bankruptcy protection, with debts totaling 10 million dollars.

Montgomery said the actor had since recovered from his financial problems.