Actor Ansel Elgort has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old in 2014. Elgort is known for a multitude of films, including Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars, Baby Driver, and, most recently, The Goldfinch. The actor is currently set to star as Tony in Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story, opposite 17-year-old newcomer Rachel Zegler as his star-crossed lover, Maria.
Elgort is the latest celebrity accused of sexual assault or misconduct since the #metoo movement picked up steam on social media in 2017 (the actual "Me Too" movement was started in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke). Some of the accusations eventually turned into criminal charges, most notably for Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein, but several other male celebrities and their behavior came under intense scrutiny. Louis C.K, Ben Affleck, Kevin Spacey, Dustin Hoffman, Aziz Ansari, Brett Ratner, and Matt Lauer all found themselves at the heart of sexual assault or harassment accusations. Now, Elgort joins the ranks of the accused as some disturbing allegations have surfaced on social media.
On Friday, a Twitter user identified as "gabby" posted a statement accusing Elgort of sexually assaulting her in 2014. The woman tweeted a lengthy statement describing the assault, beginning by explaining that she was only 17-years-old at the time. Elgort was in his 20s when he accepted a direct message from the girl on Twitter, before directing her to his private Snapchat. Their internet exchanges eventually led to an in-person meeting where they had sex. Gabby says she "was sobbing in pain" throughout the experience, which she also notes was her first time having sex, and that the actor told her, "we need to break you in." The woman also accuses Elgort of soliciting her to have a threesome with one of her "dance friends," who she says were also underage. Years later, the woman says, she still experiences PTSD, panic attacks, and regularly attends therapy. In addition to her harrowing account of the incident, Gabby shared a picture of herself sitting next to the actor and a screenshot of their direct message conversation. You can read Gabby's full statement below:
The Wrap notes that requests for comments from representatives for HBO Max, Disney, Elgort, and Gabby have all gone unanswered as of publication. Disney is the studio behind West Side Story, with plans to release the film on December 18. Elgort is also set to star in Tokyo Vice for HBO MAX. At this point, it's unclear if this accusation will lead to either studio adjusting their planned releases or productions. If this accusation leads to more women coming forward, it could lead to a more extensive investigation of the actor's behavior. Still, in many cases, a single allegation on social media has not been enough to trigger a response from the studios.
Elgort now finds himself added to a sickeningly long list of men in the entertainment industry accused of sexual assault. Since these accusations are still new, it remains to be seen if the actor will respond or stay silent. Gabby makes no mention of filing any type of charges against the actor, but she does note that she came forward with the story so that she "can finally heal."