Ansel Elgort’s sexual assault allegations: what you need to know

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Ansel Elgort as Tony in West Side Story. Photo: Niko Tavernise / 20th Century Studios

I don’t know what you think of musicals, but Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story reboot comes out today, with newcomer Rachel Zegler as Maria and Ansel Elgort as Tony. I don’t know what you think about it either. One of Hollywood’s most controversial names, Elgort has reportedly kept a low profile since last summer when a fan accused him of sexually assaulting her. He denied any wrongdoing, but the allegation brought up reports of similar behavior – engaging in or inviting sexual activity with minors via DMs – which apparently drove a previously active Elgort on Instagram out line. But now he’s back, dancing on the big screen as a romantic leader. So maybe you are wondering what happened there?

Below is a preview.

A 27-year-old actor best known for his roles in Blame It On Our Stars, Baby Driver (he played the driver, Baby) and Divergent. He is the son of fashion photographer Arthur Elgort and theater producer / director / choreographer Grethe Barrett Holby. His bottomless confidence rubs some people the wrong way. He’ll say things like “I’m super easy to hate” – because “it’s hard to be loved and to be successful”, okay !!! – and then he’ll post 17 shirtless selfies taken from slightly different angles, which will lead some to label him titled and self-congratulating and also a little brotherly. In 2017, for example, The Telegraph called him a “Venn diagram of things currently hated in culture,” although I’m sure his fans feel differently. Regardless, his DJ name (the man loves EDM, talks about it constantly) is Ansolo, which will be important later.

In June 2020, a Twitter user accused Elgort of sexually assaulting her in 2014 when she was 17 and he was 20. She then deleted the post and left the platform, but not before sharing screenshots of the DMs she and Elgort allegedly exchanged, along with a photo of the two together. She said the actor asked her to send nudes and also asked her if she would have a threesome with him and one of his (underage) friends. When she and Elgort had sex, she wrote in her statement on Twitter: “It was my first time and I was sobbing in pain and didn’t want to do it.” She also said that Elgort knew she was a virgin at the time, adding: “He made me think that was how sex was supposed to be … Years later I have PTSD , I’m having panic attacks and I’m going to therapy. “

In response to the woman’s post, Elgort posted his own statement on Instagram. (It has since been deleted, along with most of the content from the previously animated account – the 17 shirtless photos included.) “His description of events just isn’t what happened,” he said. writing. “I have never assaulted and would never assault anyone.” Elgort then admitted that he had a “brief, legal and fully consensual relationship” with the Twitter user, who – even at 17 – met New York’s legal standard of consent. He apologized for his “attitude” during the breakup, which Elgort said was actually him “ghost” the girl. “When I look back on my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted,” he said.

However, the initial allegation caught the attention of a few girls and women who said they experienced similar behavior from Elgort, as our colleagues at Vulture have reported. One of them tweeted that he also gave her her personal Snapchat – itsansolo – to DM with him when she was 15. Then another user said he told her (again via Snapchat DM) that he had never met a fan before, in part because he was in a long-term relationship. (Girlfriend: Violetta Komyshan, who he started dating when they were both students at La Guardia High School.) This user said they had two dates when she was 16, which Elgort knew to be the age of consent in Georgia, apparently where the alleged dates took place. Another person said Elgort sent her cock photos in 2014 when she was 14 and in eighth grade. All of this surfaced in an older tweet from a user who asked Elgort (in French) if he remembered sending him the following when she was 15 and he was 21: “I want that. you come to my hotel room when I am in London next time. … I want to kiss you, you are so pretty. But you can’t tell anyone, or I could have so much trouble. This message came via DM, according to his screenshots; she also posted another, in which he seemed to be asking her, “Do you want to send me something sexy?”

Elgort cleaned up his account sometime after posting the first allegation. As of December 2021, he’s back to publication, but for now only on West Side Story.

Not much, given that filming was completed in late September 2019. West Side Story was originally slated for release last year, but the pandemic has pushed that date back until now. Spielberg has not responded to the allegations and Elgort appears to be making the press, recently told E! News: “The songs are great, although I couldn’t sing them perfectly right away. But that’s good, all that is a challenge is good, right? It’s worth it.”

In fgeneral? It seems many critics had a great time watching it: The New York Times called it “a dazzling display of cinematic craftsmanship that also feels raw, choppy, and alive.” The Atlantic saw it as an “undeniable triumph” and NPR as “undeniably resonant”. According to Variety, this is a “serious and catchy upgrade.” Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri was less starred: “Do you like West Side Story? Then you will love West Side Story.

I don’t like musical theater, which answers that question for me, but I’ll just note that the 1961 film West Side Story has some notoriously offensive pitfalls. For example: the use of a brown face on cast members chosen as members of the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks – and even on actor Rita Moreno, who is actually Puerto Rican (unlike many of his co-stars, which were largely white and not Latinx). In the decades that followed, the film was criticized for its heavy reliance on stereotypes, some of which attempted to correct Spielberg. The producers traveled to the University of Puerto Rico, met with students and staff in an effort to ensure a more authentic cultural performance. The Latinx actors were chosen this time around – but even Maria isn’t played by a Puerto Rican actor. (Zegler’s parents are Polish and Colombian.)

“A stellar cast, a legendary production team, a star team and a world-class orchestra.” “I hope you like it as much as we do!” ” “Magic!” etc., etc. Nothing else on the assault allegations, however.

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