*The following article contains discussion of sexual assault.
On Tuesday's episode of Emily Ratajkowski's podcast High Low with EmRata, actor Bella Thorne engaged in conversation with Ratajkowski about the over-sexualization and pressure young girls face in Hollywood.
Thorne, unfortunately all too familiar, recalled an accusation by a casting director that still haunts her to this day.
Thorne shared that the director accused then 10-year-old Thorne of flirting with him during a casting session.
She said of the incident:
"I had a director give me feedback once, and I was 10."
"The casting director calls my agent and the agent calls my mom, and they'e like, 'So she's not moving forward because the director felt like she was flirting with him, and it made him really uncomfortable.'"
Thorne revealed that though she kept reminding herself that she "was not the problem," she "almost found fault in [herself]."
She said that she just kept thinking:
"What did you do, Bella? What did you do?"
"You made him feel like this."
Now, however, looking back, Thorne said:
"I don't give a f**k what the f**k I said. I don't care if I said, 'Eat my p**sy right now.'"
"[I was] 10 years old. Why would you ever think that [I was flirting]?"
Thorne also pointed out:
"Also, you're in a director session. You can't really say or do anything."
"You do the scene. You say hello. And you walk out."
"There is no time to go sit on your lap or make you uncomfortable."
"What the f**k are you talking about?"
Many on Twitter were equally as disturbed.
I'm sick to my stomach
— Lolabaaee (@lausmitty) December 28, 2022
why would a 10 year old child flirt with a grown man. honestly disgusting to accuse her of that
— eren™ 🕰️ (@erenfromtarget) December 27, 2022
Please name this CREEP director so that Twitter can do it's thing
— fetty 😈 (@PtrMksa) December 27, 2022
Why do some men actually think everyone is flirting to them… like she was 10 so if he thought she was flirting I’m guessing he is also a pedo cause no normal person thinks this
— Chris (@ChrisTofuuu) December 27, 2022
The industry is the worst place any child to grow up in, no matter the talent they have
— DejiPeree (@PereeDeji) December 27, 2022
there’s not a single thing a 10 year old could say that would make me think they’re flirting with me
— camryn misses itzy ≷ #blm (@camalans) December 28, 2022
This is disturbing on all levels. I wish we knew who the director was.
— 🎄✨Alissa✨🎄 (@allie_kiley) December 27, 2022
this is so sick
— spearmint (@spearmminte) December 27, 2022
I dont care if she actually flirted with him or not when she 10 coz she WAS 10 why wud he take it seriously like she was a child. Why wud he feel threatened? So weird
— Sol Haher (@haher_sol) December 28, 2022
poor Bella
— Gayforbillie (@MarleyRose0725) December 27, 2022
Thorne previously shared on Instagram that she was sexually and physically abused "from the day [she] can remember [until she] was 14."
She share in her post that at 14, "I finally had the courage to lock my door at night and sit by it."
Thorne finished her post:
"All d*mn night. Waiting for someone to take advantage of my life again."
"Over and over I waited for it to stop and finally it did."
"But some of us aren't as lucky to get out alive."
On the podcast, Thorne spoke on the pressure young Hollywood faces and how she has ultimately transitioned.
"I fell like I've rocked the word 'sex' for a long time and I'll always keep rocking this word because it's what's been put on me since I was so little, and yet it's still something that I've taken so much of my own power back by owning that word."
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If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault, help is out there.
You can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 1-800-656-4673, use their Live Chat tool: https://www.rainn.org/get-help, or visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.
In Canada, help is available through the Ending Violence Association of Canada website.
International resources can be found through the Rape Crisis Network Europe website.
