Three months after the “West Aspect Story” press tour wrapped, Rachel Zegler is talking out in regards to the media’s line of questioning aimed toward her and her feminine costars over Ansel Elgort’s assault allegations. In an interview with “Elle,” Zegler was requested a few earlier roundtable dialogue she participated in with “West Aspect Story” stars Ariana DeBose and Rita Moreno. Through the dialog, the three ladies have been questioned in regards to the allegations aimed toward Elgort. Zegler voiced her concern over the queries to “Elle” stating, “It was an actual intestine punch, actually.”
“[There is] inherent discomfort that comes with that realization that there are tons of people that assume that it’s important to reply for the actions of an grownup male who can communicate for himself.”
“I reverted again to this mind house I used to be in [back in] June of 2020, when the accusation surfaced . . . These days have been among the worst psychological well being days I’ve ever had,” she added. “I used to be sitting there having simply turned 19, on the precipice of what was promised to be the most important second in my life, and was being held accountable [by the public] for accusations that not solely had nothing to do with me, however have been made a few state of affairs that was mentioned to have occurred [five] years previous to once I had met and labored with this particular person.”
Zegler additionally mentioned she did not perceive why questions in regards to the accusations have been aimed toward her “despite the fact that the particular person in query was current” and that she was “devastated” over how individuals critiqued her response to the state of affairs. “[There is] inherent discomfort that comes with that realization that there are tons of people that assume that it’s important to reply for the actions of an grownup male who can communicate for himself,” she added in her “Elle” interview.
“It’s so wildly disappointing at each flip, regardless of the way you slice it. Irrespective of what number of occasions I’ve tried to justify individuals’s concern with regards to me in my mind, however then realizing that it comes from a spot of me having to reply for that, and never them truly caring about whether or not or not I used to be okay, was actually hurtful . . . I actually haven’t got something to do with this dialog, and I am wanting ahead to shifting previous it,” she concluded.
Zegler formally addressed the allegations surrounding Elgort, who performs Tony in “West Aspect Story,” in January close to the tip of her movie’s press tour. Elgort was accused of sexual assault almost a 12 months after filming wrapped on the remake film, and Zegler, who performs Maria, hadn’t instantly spoken on the matter till “The Hollywood Reporter” launched its January cowl story. “We made a film two and a half years in the past, and rather a lot has gone on on the earth since then,” the actor informed the outlet.
In June 2020, a girl got here ahead on Twitter accusing Elgort of sexually assaulting her in 2014, when she was 17 and he was 20. “I simply need to heal and I need to inform different women who’ve been by the identical sh*t as me, you are not alone,” she mentioned on the time. Elgort denied the allegations in a now-deleted assertion, categorizing his relationship with the lady as “temporary, authorized, and completely consensual.” (The age of consent in New York, the place the incident passed off, is 17.)
Elgort wasn’t edited out of “West Aspect Story,” however he was noticeably sidelined within the ensuing press tour. And though the forged and crew did not touch upon the controversy, Zegler appeared to allude to it in a 2020 tweet shared the same day the allegations surfaced. “I’m feeling a bit misplaced tonight and i’m feeling a bit upset. i do know a few of you might be, too,” she mentioned, “that is the world proper now— but it surely’s mandatory.”
In “The Hollywood Reporter”‘s cowl story, Zegler later mentioned, “Rather a lot has modified very publicly, and privately as nicely. There’s been quite a lot of awakening. You simply hope that the individuals concerned are OK, that they’re requested in a respectful method and that they’re given the chance to reply for themselves.”
DeBose and Moreno additionally shared their views within the cowl story. DeBose mentioned, “No person actually is aware of what is going on on in anybody’s head. Solely the individuals who have been concerned in that state of affairs know what truly went down.” Moreno added, “I feel it could have been completely horrendous and improper for anybody to take sides in that matter. It is not for me to make these judgments.”
