George Takei has responded to allegations that he sexually assaulted a model at his home in 1981.
Scott R. Brunton alleges that the actor, who played Sulu in the ‘Star Trek’ TV series, groped him at his apartment when he was a 23-year-old aspiring model and actor.
“This happened a long time ago, but I have never forgotten it,’ he told the Hollywood Reporter.
Now the 80-year-old actor has responded, saying the events “simply did not occur” and denies even knowing the former model, in a series of tweets posted on Saturday.
“Friends, I’m writing to respond to the accusations made by Scott R. Bruton. I want to assure you all that I am as shocked and bewildered at these claims as you must feel reading them,” he tells his 2.79M followers.
“The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do.
“But I do take these claims very seriously, and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment.
“Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago. But those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful.”
The actor ends by thanking fans for their support, telling them that his husband, Brad, is standing “fully by my side”.
Last week, Takei spoke out about sexual misconduct allegations leveled against Kevin Spacey by the actor Anthony Rapp.
Takei said: “When power is used in a non-consensual situation, it is a wrong. For Anthony Rapp, he has had to live with the memory of this experience of decades ago. For Kevin Spacey, who claims not to remember the incident, he was the older, dominant one who had his way.
“Men who improperly harass or assault do not do so because they are gay or straight ― that is a deflection. They do so because they have the power, and they chose to abuse it.”