By PopZette Staff | January 28, 2020
Evan Rachel Wood, who is best known for starring in the HBO television series “Westworld,” has found herself in hot water this week after she called late NBA star Kobe Bryant a “rapist” hours after his death on Sunday.
Bryant tragically passed away on Sunday at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash that also killed his 13 year-old daughter Gianna as well as seven other people. Just hours later, Wood took it upon herself to say that Bryant was both a “sports hero” and a “rapist” in a tweet to her over 444,000 followers.
“What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe’s family. He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously,” Wood tweeted.
What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe’s family.
He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist.
And all of these truths can exist simultaneously.— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) January 26, 2020
Wood’s tweet refers to allegations stemming from 2003, when a 19 year-old woman accused Bryant of choking and sexually assaulting her in a hotel room in Colorado, according to The Daily Beast. After being arrested, Bryant admitted to cheating on his wife with the woman, but claimed that their encounter in the hotel room was consensual. All charges against Bryant were later dropped when the woman refused to testify against him in court, instead choosing to hear an apology from him that was read by his lawyer.
Despite the fact that the charges against Bryant were dropped, Wood still decided to portray him as a “rapist” less than a full day after his passing. Unfortunately for her, however, this came back to bite her in a big way when social media users fired back at her for condemning the NBA hero.
And this is where the Me too movement has gotten out of control… attacking a man who literally just died less than 24 hours ago, with his little girl!
Was it proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he raped somebody? Did he go to jail? Was he charged?— Catherine (Kathleen) Curtin (@kathleencurtinc) January 27, 2020
And you are both a feminist hero and one who wants to lynch black men without a fair trial. All of these truths can exist simultaneously.
— Dr Boyce Watkins (@drboycewatkins1) January 27, 2020
This is an absolutely disgusting comment that reeks of white feminism, narcissism and veiled racism. You took this tragedy and made it about yourself.
— Kevin Arbouet (@kevinarbouet) January 27, 2020
It's cool how you're both:
1) Able to go back in time & re-try both his criminal & civil cases and change the outcome to suit your "preferance" (also wtf??); and
2) Be so classless, inhumane, and spiritually devoid all at the same time.
WELL DONE.
— Kate Schmidt (@330_schmidt) January 26, 2020
Would it kill you to have some empathy for the family who are grieving not only Kobe but their daughter as well?
It hasn't even been 48 hours yet.— Alister – Your Larrikin Ghost (@highjournals) January 27, 2020
The backlash eventually got so great that Wood finally responded in a second tweet.
Beloveds, this was not a condemnation or a celebration. It was a reminder that everyone will have different feelings and there is room for us all to grieve together instead of fighting. Everyone has lost. Everyone will be triggered, so please show kindness and respect to all.
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) January 27, 2020
Twitter users were still having none of it, however.
We didnt need a "reminder". You used the death of a man & his daughter to get clout from the #metoo movement. You used allegations, not an actual conviction to disrespect a black icon on the day of his death. This is why your brand of feminism makes us all look like a joke
— Maria M (@mariapaalbergm) January 27, 2020
My point is you wouldn't say this to his wife and kids. You're hiding behind your keyboard just as much as the trolls. With you being high profile they may well see it.
— Daniel Scott (@DanielScott128) January 27, 2020
You showed no "respect' or "kindness". When you defamed a dead Black Man who died tragically w/ his daughter & other ppl. Don't play passive/aggressive now. Being empathetic goes against your demonic nature of course. So,your smear comes as NO surprise. We won't forget. #RIPKobe
— Onyx Paradigm (@C_Rich75) January 27, 2020
For Wood to defame a man hours after his death and that of his child based on allegations from seventeen years ago that were eventually dropped in a court of law is truly beyond the pale. Her tweet is also especially hypocritical coming from someone who works in the industry of Hollywood, which turned a blind eye to the sexual deviances of someone like disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein for decades.
Wood owes the entire Bryant family an apology, and she deserves all of the social media backlash that she is receiving.
This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.
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