<p>&#8220;West Side Story&#8221; star Rachel Zegler asked why she was &#8220;being held accountable&#8221; and expected to &#8220;answer&#8221; for a sexual assault accusation that surfaced against her co-star, Ansel Elgort, in 2020.</p>
<p>During the 20-year-old actress&#8217; interview with Elle Magazine for the May 2022 issue, the &#8220;Snow White&#8221; star said it was like a &#8220;gut punch,&#8221; adding that it didn&#8217;t make sense to her to be asked about the allegations against Elgort &#8220;even though the person in question was present,&#8221; the outlet recently <a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a39727526/rachel-zegler-interview-may-2022/">reported</a>.</p>
<p>In June 2020, Zegler&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/baby-driver-actor-ansel-elgort-denies-sexually-assaulting-a-17-year-old-girl-in-2014">co-star denied sexually assaulting</a> the woman in 2014, when she was reportedly 17 years old, and Elgort was 20, in a since-deleted Instagram post.</p>
<p>At the time, Elgort said that he and the woman &#8220;had a brief, legal, and entirely consensual relationship&#8221; and insisted that he had &#8220;never and would never assault anyone.&#8221; In the state of New York, the age of consent is 17.</p>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CciD2C-u-hm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div style="flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent;"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CciD2C-u-hm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ELLE Magazine (@elleusa)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>“It was a real gut punch, honestly,&#8221; Zegler told Elle magazine. &#8220;I reverted back to this brain space I was in [back in] June of 2020, when the accusation surfaced. We were in the middle of the first wave of lockdown, and there was nothing to do but doom-scroll. Those days were some of the worst mental health days I&#8217;ve ever had.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I was sitting there having just turned 19, on the precipice of what was promised to be the biggest moment in my life, and was being held accountable [by the public] for accusations that not only had nothing to do with me but were made about a situation that was said to have occurred [five] years prior to when I had met and worked with this person,&#8221; she added. &#8220;With no thought to the fact that I was also 17 when I met this person, 17 when I worked with them, 17 and 18 when I had to do love scenes.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;[There is] inherent discomfort that comes with that realization that there are tons of people who think that you have to answer for the actions of an adult male who can speak for himself,&#8221; Zegler continued. &#8220;It is so wildly disappointing at every turn, no matter how you slice it. No matter how many times I&#8217;ve tried to justify people&#8217;s concern when it comes to me in my brain, but then realizing that it comes from a place of me having to answer for that, and not them actually caring about whether or not I was okay, was really hurtful.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;West Side Story&#8221; was up for seven nominations at the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wanda-sykes-opens-oscars-announcing-to-people-in-florida-we-are-going-to-have-a-gay-night">94th Academy Awards</a> show in 2022, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. In the end, actress Ariana DeBose took home the Best Supporting Actress Award, as the first openly queer woman of color to win an Academy Award, for her role as Anita.</p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

‘West Side Story’ Star Asks Why She Was ‘Being Held Accountable’ For Sexual Assault Claim Against Co-Star

Bill Murray Reveals Movie Role He Still Regrets Not Taking

Trump Schools The Left, Answers ‘What Is A Woman?’

‘Malcolm In The Middle’ Revival Will Be Missing One Major Star Who Has Left Hollywood Behind

‘Scrubs’ Star Hits Back At Critics For Commenting On Her Health After Red Carpet

‘Nightmare’: ‘Baywatch’ Alum Recalls Horrifying 13-Year Ordeal Involving Female Stalker

‘Snow White’ Producer’s Son Destroys Rachel Zegler Amid Film’s Box Office Struggles

Entertainment

Sexual Assault

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Menu

— Entertainment —

‘West Side Story’ Star Asks Why She Was ‘Being Held Accountable’ For Sexual Assault Claim Against Co-Star