Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel has been accused by his former assistant of sexual battery while working for him in 2010.

Astra Jonasson filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Thursday (US time) alleging that Diesel forced himself onto her in a hotel suite in Atlanta.

It says she screamed and tried to escape from the room during the alleged assault.

Jonasson was fired hours later by Diesel’s sister Samantha Vincent, who is also the president of his One Race Productions.

The lawsuit states that Jonasson felt as if she was a “piece of trash” and her self-esteem was “demolished”.

“It was clear to her that she was being fired because she was no longer useful – Vin Diesel had used her to fulfil his sexual desires and she had resisted his sexual assaults,” the suit alleges.

Jonasson is suing Diesel and his company for creating a hostile work environment, negligent supervision and wrongful termination, among her other claims.

Representatives for Diesel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jonasson’s lawyer, Claire-Lise Kutlay, said in a statement that her client’s lawsuit sought to hold Diesel and those who “allowed and covered up his sexual assault, accountable for their egregious actions”.

The Associated Press generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Jonasson has done.

Diesel has starred as Dominic Toretto since the The Fast and Furious franchise’s inaugural film in 2001.

The movies have become big earners at the domestic and international box office, with the past two films each making more than $US1 billion ($1.5 billion).

Earlier this year, the franchise’s 10th instalment, Fast X, starring Diesel, opened with $US67.5 million in ticket sales.

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-AAP