Alanis Morissette Slams ‘Jagged’ Documentary: ‘I Was Lulled Into A False Sense Of Security’

Alanis Morissette has hit out at Alison Klayman’s forthcoming documentary “Jagged”, which is based on the singer’s life.

The Canadian musician said in a statement to Variety: “I agreed to participate in a piece about the celebration of Jagged Little Pill’s 25th anniversary, and was interviewed during a very vulnerable time [while in the midst of my third postpartum depression during lockdown].

“I was lulled into a false sense of security and their salacious agenda became apparent immediately upon my seeing the first cut of the film. This is when I knew our visions were in fact painfully diverged. This was not the story I agreed to tell.

“I sit here now experiencing the full impact of having trusted someone who did not warrant being trusted. I have chosen not to attend any event around this movie for two reasons: one is that I am on tour right now.

“The other is that, not unlike many ‘stories’ and unauthorized biographies out there over the years, this one includes implications and facts that are simply not true. While there is beauty and some elements of accuracy in this/my story to be sure — I ultimately won’t be supporting someone else’s reductive take on a story much too nuanced for them to ever grasp or tell.”

ET Canada has reached out to Klayman for comment on Morissette’s statement.

The doc, which is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival Tuesday, alleges multiple men engaged in underage sex with Morissette at just 15-years-old.

The singer told The Washington Post it took her “years in therapy” to even admit there had been any kind of victimization on her part.

“I would always say I was consenting, and then I’d be reminded like ‘Hey, you were 15, you’re not consenting at 15.’ Now I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, they’re all pedophiles. It’s all statutory rape.”

The alleged abusers are not named but it is assumed the abuse took place in Canada during her early years of fame. The 47-year-old said she issued calls for help which “fell on deaf ears.”

Adding, “It would usually be a stand-up, walk-out-of-the-room moment.”

Morissette said that even in instances in which there was no sexual abuse, unwanted sexual advances were common.

“Almost every single person that I would work with, there would be some turning point where the camera would go Dutch angle,” she went on, referring to the film making shot that suggests tension or trauma.

She added it would “either end the relationship” or “then there’d be just some big secret that we’d keep forever.”

Director Alison Klayman stopped by Deadline’s TIFF studio in Toronto on Monday, and spoke about the fact Morissette might not attend the premiere.

“Of course, it would have been great if she could be here with us,” Klayman said, “but I’m so grateful for all the time that she did put into making this film.”

Deadline pointed out that Morissette was currently on tour with Garbage, but there was a break in her tour schedule which would seemingly allow her to attend the bash.

It’s not the first time Morissette has spoken about the issue of sexual misconduct. Last year she told The Sunday Times that “almost every woman in the music industry has been assaulted, harassed, raped. It’s ubiquitous — more in music, even, than film.”

She said her reluctance on speaking about allegations to this point was in part out of concern for her family. “Me not telling specific information about my experience as a teenager was almost solely around wanting to protect — protect my parents, protect my brothers, protect future partners,” she shared.

“You know a lot of people say ‘why did that woman wait 30 years? And I’m like f— off,” she said, using an expletive. “They don’t wait 30 years. No one was listening or their livelihood was threatened or their family was threatened,” referring to her failed attempts to tell people about the statutory rapes at the time.

“The whole ‘why do women wait’ thing?” she added. “Women don’t wait. Our culture doesn’t listen.”