​James Van Der Beek Shares Experiences of Sexual Harassment in Hollywood

"I've had my ass grabbed by older, powerful men"

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Oct 12, 2017

As Hollywood continues to denounce Harvey Weinstein in the wake of sexual harassment and assault allegations, actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Cara Delevingne have come forth to share their own disturbing experiences with the movie mogul. Men have also joined the wider industry conversation, and following in the footsteps of actors like Terry Crews and Rob Schneider, James Van Der Beek has now spoken up about his own traumatic experiences.
 
In a string of tweets early this morning (October 12), the Dawson's Creek star and professional Diplo impersonator admitted that he too had been subjected to unwanted sexual advances from industry executives.
 
"I've had my ass grabbed by older, powerful men, I've had them corner me in inappropriate sexual conversations when I was much younger," he wrote. "I understand the unwarranted shame, powerlessness & inability to blow the whistle. There's a power dynamic that feels impossible to overcome."
 
He also reiterated the criminal nature of the allegations against Weinstein, calling his actions "unacceptable — in any industry," and applauded those who have already spoken out.

UPDATE (10/12, 11:15 a.m. EDT): Van Der Beek has since added to his story, saying that the harassment was perpetrated by "people 99.9% of you don't know" — adding that two have been charged by others and punished, while another has since died. He went on to apologize to any mentors for causing "wrongful speculation."
 
See his full string of tweets below.
 
 
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