Penn Badgley has addressed the “disturbing” allegations made against YOU Chris D’Elia, co-star, accused of soliciting underage girls.
D’Elia, whose television credits also include Not upgradeable and The good doctorMost recently, he had a role in season 2 of the Netflix series as Henderson, a beloved comedian who is secretly a pedophile. In real life, several women have come forward to say that D’Elia took advantage of them, some of whom were minors at the time.
Knowing the affirmations made “affected me deeply. I was very concerned about that. I’m very concerned about that, “Badgley told the Los Angeles Times. “I know that if there is one thing we must do in this age it is to believe in women.”
Badgley was also concerned that YOUThe ongoing narrative, one that regularly trades with toxic masculinity, somehow encourages that behavior. “The idea that a program like ours is, unknowingly, a haven for abusive people is disturbing. It is very disturbing, ”she said. “What does it take to change that? Because it’s not just [about] examine individuals. There needs to be a change in culture and attitude for that kind of behavior to be as clearly reprehensible, as clearly, as anti-human. “
Badgley also shared that producers of YOU He contacted Jenna Ortega, the 17-year-old actress who shared scenes with D’Elia in Season 2, after initial allegations emerged earlier this month.
“The first thing our producers did was contact Jenna … just to make sure she felt safe. We can feel safe and sound there, ”he said. “So when it comes to our program … there is only so much we can take responsibility for. And I say ‘we’ in general terms, because we are all doing different things. I am, at the end of the day, an actor, and I don’t have much to do with many of these things. But I think in the future, I would like that to change, personally. “
Shortly after the allegations arose, D’Elia issued a statement to TMZ, which in part said: “I know I have said and done things that could have offended people during my career, but I have never knowingly sought out minor women. old in no time. ” . All my relationships have been legal and consensual and I have never met or exchanged any inappropriate photos with people who have tweeted about me. “
Three days later, Whitney Cummings spoke up and condemned her actions once. Whitney co-star, who was later abandoned by his agent and manager.
