Divergent actor Ansel Elgort denied sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2014 when he was 20. Elgort, now 26, admitted to having a “brief, legal and entirely consensual relationship” and claimed he “did not handle” the break-up well. The woman, identified on Twitter as Gabby, claimed she did not want to have sex with him, but the actor reportedly told her, “We need to break you in.”
On Saturday, Elgort shared a brief statement on Instagram, saying he was “distressed” to see the posts about him that began circulating on Twitter Friday. The Baby Driver star said he “cannot claim to understand Gabby’s feelings” but disputed her version of events. “I have never and would never assault anyone,” he wrote. It is true he had a consensual relationship with Gabby in New York in 2014 and claimed he did not “handle” their split well.
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“I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone,” Elgort wrote. “I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behavior when I disappeared.” At the end of his statement, Elgort said that he is “disgusted and deeply ashamed” of the way he acted at the time. “I am truly sorry,” he wrote. “I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy.”
On Friday, Gabby went public with her story on Twitter and has since deleted her account. Alongside her statement, she included a photo of herself with Elgort and a picture of her phone with the 2014 texts visible. Gabby said she sent Elgort a direct message to tell him she was turning 17 soon and responded by giving her his private Snapchat account name and asking for nude photos. Gabby said she came forward “so I can finally heal” and now suffers from PTSD and panic attacks. She also goes to therapy, the woman said.
Gabby claimed Elgort once asked for a threesome with one of her “dance friends,” whom she said was underage at the time too. Gabby did not tell anyone about the alleged incidents before because it could “ruin his career.” “He made me think this is how sex was supposed to be,” Gabby wrote. “I WAS SO YOUNG AND HE KNEW THAT. He as well said stuff like, ‘you’re going to be such a beautiful young lady when you’re older.’ I was f—ing 17.”
Elgort rose to fame for starring in The Fault in Our Stars, which led to a supporting part in the Divergent movies. He also earned a Golden Globe nomination for 2017’s Baby Driver. His next film is Steven Spielberg’s upcoming remake of West Side Story, in which he plays Tony. The film will be released by Disney’s 20th Century Studios on Dec. 18. Elgort also signed on to star in HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice series.
