Emily Ratajkowski Says Robin Thicke Groped Her On Set Of 'Blurred Lines'
In her new book, Emily Ratajkowski opens up about allegedly being groped by Robin Thicke while filming his “Blurred Lines” music video
One of the most important things to come out of the #MeToo era is how much more common it’s become for women to come forward with their stories about being sexually assaulted. While it’s horrific that so many assaults still take place, no one can push them under the rug any longer, as so many women come forward to share their experiences, even with men who hold much greater power than they do. Now, Emily Ratajkowski is joining those ranks, opening up about allegedly being groped by Robin Thicke when she filmed his infamous “Blurred Lines” music video.
The video rocketed Ratajkowski to stardom. But in her new book, My Body, she opens up about how filming it was not the experience she expected. Despite saying she felt fine with the content of the video — both the censored and uncensored versions — Ratajkowski said things took a turn when Thicke “returned to the set a little drunk to shoot just with me.”
“Out of nowhere, I felt the coolness and foreignness of a stranger’s hands cupping my bare breasts from behind,” she continued. “I instinctively moved away, looking back at Robin Thicke. He smiled a goofy grin and stumbled backward, his eyes concealed behind his sunglasses. My head turned to the darkness beyond the set. [The director] Diane Martel’s voice cracked as she yelled out to me, ‘Are you okay?'”
Ratajkowski added, “I pushed my chin forward and shrugged, avoiding eye contact, feeling the heat of humiliation pump through my body. I didn’t react — not really, not like I should have.”
What Ratajkowski described is so heartbreakingly common for victims of this type of assault: Not knowing how to respond in the moment, and later feeling guilt for not responding a certain way.
The video’s director, Diane Martel, corroborated Ratajkowski’s story to The Sunday Times.
“I remember the moment that he grabbed her breasts. One in each hand,” she said. “He was standing behind her as they were both in profile. I screamed in my very aggressive Brooklyn voice, ‘What the fuck are you doing? That’s it! The shoot is over!'”
Martel added, “Robin sheepishly apologized. As if he knew it was wrong without understanding how it might have felt for Emily.”
At least someone was there to stand up to Thicke. Naturally, he hasn’t commented on this story.
If you or someone you know have experienced sexual assault, you can reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
