In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash, reactions from the media have run the gamut — with his status as a sports icon existing alongside the fact he was accused of raping a woman back in 2003.
“Westworld” star Evan Rachel Wood has endured a public scolding on social media since Sunday for hailing the ill-fated basketball star as both a “sports hero” and a “rapist.”
“What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe’s family. He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously,” Wood said.
“Beloveds, this was not a condemnation or a celebration,” she later added. “It was a reminder that everyone will have different feelings and there is room for us all to grieve together instead of fighting. Everyone has lost. Everyone will be triggered, so please show kindness and respect to all.”
Beloveds, this was not a condemnation or a celebration. It was a reminder that everyone will have different feelings and there is room for us all to grieve together instead of fighting. Everyone has lost. Everyone will be triggered, so please show kindness and respect to all.— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) January 27, 2020
Evan Rachel Wood was referencing the fact that Bryant had been accused of rape in 2003 — charges that were eventually dismissed after his accuser told prosecutors that she would not testify in court. Fox News provided more details:
Wood was referencing an incident from 2003 outlined in a 2016 article from The Daily Beast in which a 19-year-old woman accused Bryant of choking and sexually assaulting her in a Colorado hotel room. Bryant was arrested and charged with sexual assault and false imprisonment at the time, but the criminal case was ultimately dropped when the accuser refused to testify and agreed to hear Bryant issue a formal apology in court, which he had his lawyer read.
Fans of Kobe Bryant responded to Wood’s tweet with outrage, denouncing her for “white feminism” and even “veiled racism.”
“Evan. We met as kids & I grew up in the same industry has you and have admired your work from afar these past few years. On camera and off. But this tweet? How f***ing dare you?” tweeted actress Kyla Pratt.
“This is an absolutely disgusting comment that reeks of white feminism, narcissism and veiled racism. You took this tragedy and made it about yourself,” said one Twitter user.
“And this is where the #MeToo movement has gotten out of control … attacking a man who literally just died less than 24 hours ago, with his little girl! Was it proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he raped somebody? Did he go to jail? Was he charged?” said another user.
Other Twitter users pointed out that Evan Rachel Wood had previously worked with director Woody Allen on “Whatever Works.” Allen, of course, has also been accused of sexual abuse, although he has never been charged or convicted.
Evan Rachel Wood is not alone, of course, in her mentioning of the Kobe Bryant rape allegation. Washington Post reporter Felica Sonmez also referenced it at the time of his death, an action that culminated in a series of events that led to her suspension reportedly after she publicly shared a screenshot from her email inbox that revealed the names of her professional critics.
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