UPDATED 6/20, 9:50 p.m. ET: Following accusations of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in 2014, Ansel Elgort took to Instagram on Saturday night to address the claims via a post.
"I was distressed to see the social media posts about me that have been circulating in the past 24 hours," he wrote. "I cannot claim to understand Gabby's feelings but her description of events is simply not what happened."
Elgort went on to explain that from his recollection, in 2014 he had a "brief, legal and entirely consensual relationship" with the young woman who accused him of sexual assault. In the post, he claims that the two had a falling out because of how he handled their separation
"As I look back at my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted," he wrote. "I am truly sorry. I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy."
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Ansel Elgort has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in 2014.
The allegations were made Friday in a post shared by Twitter user @ItsGabby. The woman claims she met the now-26-year-old Elgort through social media, after sending him a DM just days before her 17th birthday. Gabby alleged the sexual assault took place shortly after, and that the actor was aware of her age.
"I was only fucking 17. And he was in his 20s. He knew what he was doing," she wrote. "I’m not posting this to ‘clout chase’ because I simply don’t care for that. I’m posting this so I can finally heal and I know I’m not alone and he’s done this to other girls. Ansel Elgort sexually assaulted me when I was 17."
Gabby went on to share more details about the alleged sexual assault, saying Elgort was the first guy she ever had sex with.
"I was just a kid and was a fan of him," she continued. "So when it happened instead of asking me if I wanted to stop having sex knowing it was my first time and I was sobbing in pain and I didn’t want to do it the only words that came out of his mouth were, 'We need to break you in.’'I WASNT there in that moment mentally. I dissociated myself and just felt like my mind was gone and I was in shock ... I couldn't leave, I was only 5'2" and 98 pounds."
Gabby also accused Elgort of soliciting nude photos from her and requesting a threesome with one of her "dance friends," who was also underage. She said the actor urged her to never speak about the incident because it "could ruin his career."
"I sat there for months wondering what I did wrong. Wondering why I felt so used," she continued. "Years later I have PTSD, I have panic attacks, I go to therapy. Finally, I’m ready to talk about it and finally heal. I just want to heal and I want to tell other girls who have been through the same shit as me, you’re not alone. It’s a lot for me to even come on here and tell my story but I know it’s needed. There’s much more to my story I simply don’t want to post it all."
Gabby also shared what appears to be a photo of her and Elgort, as well as pictures of their aforementioned DM exchange.
The accusations didn't stop there. Hours before Gabby released her statement, Elgort found himself facing allegations of racism. The controversy stemmed from an anonymous Instagram post shared on the Black at LaGuardia account—a page for Black students and alumni of LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. The post featured a statement from a former student who claimed they were once bullied by a classmate who was simply identified as "Ansel." The post claims "Ansel" repeatedly used a racial slur in class and was never disciplined for his actions.
"Once I was in class and we were learning about the Niger River," the post reads. "Ansel (Lag's favorite) repeatedly mocked me and said '[expletive] River' multiple times. Nothing was ever done about it."
As pointed out by Newsweek, several of the commenters claimed Elgort was the only "Ansel" to have ever attended the school; though the identity of the student in question has not been verified.
Complex has reached out to Elgort's team for comment.
