Penn Badgley has condemned You co-star Chris D’Elia who has been accused of sexual misconduct with minors.
The news broke this week that D’Elia had been accused of harassing underage girls on social media.
Julia Holtzman, who was 17 at the time, was the first to speak out after sharing screen-grabs of the messages she had received from the actor back in November 2016. Holtzmann insists it was obvious she was underage as her Instagram featured several photos of her having celebrating her 16th birthday.
D’Elia gave his number to Holtzman and tried to get to her visit him at his home in New York City from Long Island where she lived.
Following Holtzman speaking out about the ordeal, four other women have come forward as well.
D’Elia has since issued a statement apologising for his behaviour.
As per TMZ, the statement read from the season two You actor:
I know I have said and done things that might have offended people during my career, but I have never knowingly pursued any underage women at any point.
All of my relationships have been both legal and consensual and I have never met or exchanged any inappropriate photos with the people who have tweeted about me.
That being said, I really am truly sorry. I was a dumb guy who ABSOLUTELY let myself get caught up in my lifestyle. That’s MY fault. I own it. I’ve been reflecting on this for some time now and I promise I will continue to do better.
D’Elia plays the character of Henderson in the second reason of the Netflix show who speaks to underage girls. Following the news coming out, fellow You star Penn Badgley has spoken out about it saying he was ‘deeply troubled’.
Badgley said to the LA Times:
I was very troubled by it. I am very troubled by it. I don’t know Chris. I know that, if there’s anything we need to do in this age, it’s to believe women.
The idea that a show like ours would indirectly, unwittingly be a haven for people who are abusive is disturbing. It’s very disturbing.
There needs to be a change in culture and attitude so that that kind of behaviour is so clearly reprehensible, it’s so clearly, like, anti-human […] I know that at least our show thinks about things in a dismantling, deconstructive manner. I would hope that at least our show is not serving to uphold these kind of, like, bunk ways of being and these systems.
Upon finding out the news, You producers first thoughts were to contact Jenna Ortega who plays Ellie, one of D’Elia’s character’s victims.
Badgley added:
The first thing our producers did was reach out to Jenna, who played Ellie, the girl opposite Chris in those scenes, just to make sure she felt safe. We can feel safe and sound there.
D’Elia has since been dropped by both his agent and his manager.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence you can contact Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111 available 24/7, every day of the year, including Christmas.
Topics: Celebrity, Netflix, Penn Badgley, You
