Penn Badgley is “disturbed” by sexual misconduct allegations against his “You” co-star Chris D’Elia.
The comedian, who appeared in season 2 of the Netflix series, has denied allegations against him by multiple women of making aggressive sexual overtures, in some case toward girls who were underage. D’Elia has since been dropped by his agent and manager.
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Badgley addressed the allegations, saying, “I was very troubled by it. I am very troubled by it. I don’t know Chris. I know that, if there’s anything we need to do in this age, it’s to believe women.”
Discussing the need for offenders to be brought to justice, Badgley added, “But what is really important is to recognize that the policies that underwrite every given system — the practices, the regulations, the laws that underwrite every one of these systems which act as a haven for the individuals that take advantage, namely white men. And women — but, you know, white people, and white men. And white men of a particular breed, who are successful and charismatic. I think that we need to remember that that is the level of change we’re looking for.”
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He continued, “I also am thinking about how to somehow not — the idea that a show like ours would indirectly, unwittingly be a haven for people who are abusive is disturbing. It’s very disturbing. What does it take to change that? Because it’s not just vetting individuals. There needs to be a change in culture and attitude so that that kind of behaviour is so clearly reprehensible, it’s so clearly, like, anti-human.”
Badgley also revealed that when the allegations against D’Elia were first made public on Twitter, producers on the show immediately reached out to actress Jenna Ortega, who played opposite D’Elia in key scenes.
