Man charged in Miles Teller’s Maui assault saga, report says

Miles Teller appears to be on the receiving end of some good news Monday after a controversial six months during which he was excoriated for his reported anti-vaccination views and punched in the face while on vacation in Maui with his pals, Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley.

Teller, 34, may be getting some justice for the alleged Maui assault, which took place May 26 during an altercation in the bathroom of a restaurant. Russell Nielson, the man who reportedly hit him, has been charged with third-degree assault, TMZ reports, citing legal documents.

Prosecutors believe that Nielson intentionally, knowingly or recklessly caused bodily injury to Teller, TMZ added.

This news doesn’t clear up questions about the altercation. TMZ reported that the fight erupted because Teller and his model wife, Keleigh Sperry, allegedly failed to pay Nielson’s wife, a Hawaii-based wedding planner, for her services in organizing their elegant 2019 wedding in Maui.

Sperry and Teller subsequently denied the unpaid-bill report, asserting that the “Fantastic Four” actor was randomly attacked in the restaurant bathroom by two men he had never met.

The attack occurred several days after Sperry posted Instagram photos of her and Teller enjoying a lavish, fun-filled vacation on the island with Rodgers and Woodley. Her photos showed the foursome hiking to a waterfall and hitting a Maui nightspot for dancing and singing.

???? | More photos of Shailene Woodley, Aaron Rodgers, Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry in Hawaii. https://t.co/WNwHYqXOs3 pic.twitter.com/wPpTDj05vV

— Shailene Woodley Updates (@PlanetShailene) May 26, 2021

Meanwhile, and unfortunately for Teller, the news about the assault charge is not likely to ease the actor’s other public relations troubles, which center on his reported anti-vaccination views.

Teller has been embroiled in controversy since the summer, when it was learned that he reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 and refused to be vaccinated, leading to production of his TV series being shut down for several weeks.

The controversy reignited this past week when Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 after not being vaccinated, forcing the Green Bay Packers quarterback to miss Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, which they lost.

Rodgers, a one-time star player for the Cal Golden Bears, might have done irrevocable damage to his reputation as one of America’s most popular athletes by misleading the public into believing he was vaccinated, and by reportedly flouting NFL COVID safety protocols.

The reigning NFL MVP further contributed to his P.R. debacle by giving a bizarre interview on Friday, during which he justified his actions by claiming to be a victim of a “woke mob,” saying he got his COVID-19 advice from conspiracy theory-minded podcaster Joe Rogan, and by unleashing an avalanche of popular anti-vaxxer buzzwords and disinformation. Among Rodgers’ questionable comments: He said he feared that getting one of the COVID-19 vaccines could cause infertility and leave him unable to have children.

During the past week, both Teller and Woodley, Rodgers’ fiancee, have been at the center of media speculation about whether they influenced the athlete on his vaccine resistance. The “Big Little Lies” star has previously talked in interviews about her preferences for herbal remedies, alternative medicine and even eating clay to eliminate “metals” from the body.

Meanwhile, Teller, Woodley’s co-star in the “Divergent” films, has been at the center of a fierce debate in Hollywood over performers who have expressed skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine or who are refusing to be vaccinated.

The Hollywood Reporter in October detailed the case of an unnamed actor who tested positive for COVID-19, had to be hospitalized and “was known to to the cast and crew as being dismissive of vaccines.” After the star tested positive for COVID-19, other crew members became sick, causing production to be shut down for three weeks and ultimately costing the production company seven figures.

The Daily Mail said the Hollywood Reporter story aligns with its earlier account of Teller being the star who caused headaches on the set of “The Offer,” by refusing to be vaccinated. “The Offer” is Paramount+ series about the making of “The Godfather.”