Naomie Harris has her own #MeToo story and she isn’t afraid to share it.
The “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” star, 45, opened up about her experience with the Mail on Sunday’s “You” magazine and revealed that an A-lister groped her during one of her auditions.
She said that the unnamed star put his hand up her skirt while she was reading for a part.
“What was so shocking about it was the casting director was there and the director, and of course no one said anything because he was – he is — such a huge star,” Harris explained.
The “Moonlight” actress continued, “That was my only #MeToo incident, so I felt very lucky, given how rife that behavior was.”
She also said there was another, more recent occurrence where an actor groped her. “Now things have definitely changed: I was on a project where there was a #MeToo incident and there was no hesitation, [the perpetrator] was immediately removed,” she said. Harris didn’t name the star here as well.
The British-born actress also discussed her health problems with scoliosis, with which she was diagnosed at the age of 11. When she was 15, she underwent surgery to correct the problem.
Harris also touched upon her challenges as a teenager when she dealt with her scoliosis. Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Harris spoke about the procedure, stating, “During the [operation] I had a rib removed, my lung deflated, then all the muscles near my spine cut through so they could insert a metal rod all the way up my back.”
“I had to learn to walk again,” she added. “It was a horrific experience. But on the ward, there were children who had it far worse — some would never walk again. There were tears and screaming, little kids in pain.”
Despite her adversity, the “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” star said she learned valuable life lessons. “Going through something so traumatic, I learned that my health is a very fragile gift that I have to constantly nurture,” she concluded. “So at that young age, I made the decision to do everything I possibly could to maintain it. Hence I never drank, smoked or did drugs because I wouldn’t put anything toxic in my body.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
