'This is heartbreaking': Supergirl star Melissa Benoist responds to sexual harassment allegations against show producer Andrew Kreisberg
Allegations against CW showrunner Andrew Kreisberg put the production of Arrow and Supergirl to a grinding halt last week.
And now DC series star Melissa Benoist is speaking out against such behavior, taking to social media to call the situation 'heartbreaking' on Sunday.
Melissa's statement comes at the same time production of Supergirl is set to resume without Kreisberg, following a brief hiatus after the 19 harassment allegations against the writer/producer were made public last week by Variety.
Standing her ground: Melissa Benoit (left) is speaking out against Supergirl showrunner Andrew Kreisberg (right) after Variety published a reported 19 harassment allegations against the producer shut down the show's production last week
'I am a woman who leads a show that supports equality and feminism, empowerment, and fighting for what is right,' the Glee alum's statement began.
Benoist continued: 'I have always tried to conduct myself this way personally,' continuing, 'Sadly, the show and my career are a part of an industry that doesn’t always mirror these sentiments.'
Melissa called Kreisberg's behavior 'heartbreaking', adding, 'And at times [the situation] makes me feel helpless.'
'I know I’m not the only one who feels this way,' the Colorado native continued.
Not alone: 'I know I’m not the only one who feels this way,' the Colorado native wrote in her lengthy, heartfelt statement about sexual harassment on the set of Supergirl
'But I’m an optimist. I believe lasting change is possible, and when people are mistreated, they should have a safe forum to speak their truth and always be heard.
'...When people commit crimes or harass others, they should always be held accountable — no matter what industry they work in or how much power they wield,' Melissa wrote.
She concluded, writing: 'I’ve spoken up about it in the past — publicly and not so publicly — and I’ll continue to do so.'
Nope: The allegations against Kreisberg — who helped create CW hits The Flash, Arrow and Supergirl — lead to an immediate cease of production on the superhero shows last week
No shame: Melissa (above in March) was sure to make her support of victims crystal clear, explaining that everyone should be able to speak up 'without fear or shame'
'All of us should, without fear or shame,' Melissa wrote, 'We all need to hold ourselves to a higher standard.
'So this week, I’ll head back to work on Supergirl even more committed to being a part of changing the norm by listening when people speak up, and refusing to accept an environment that is anything less than a safe, respectful and collaborative space,' the actress promised.
Allegations against Kreisberg are just another example of alleged bad behavior by high-powered men in Hollywood following the take down of disgraced Hollywood hotshot Harvey Weinstein.
Hero IRL! The actress promised that she would be returning to set 'even more committed' to make Supergirl a 'safe, respectful and collaborative space'
The claims about Kreisberg — first published in a story by Variety Friday — are many, ranging from reports of inappropriate touching to more general sexual harassment with demeaning or manipulative comments.
While many came forward with personal accounts in the Variety piece originally reporting Kreisberg's conduct, none of the magazine's sources reported the showrunner to Warner Bros., for fear of professional retribution.
'The workplace feels unsafe,' one woman explained, a sentiment echoed by others. Said another, 'He scares people.'
'The workplace feels unsafe': A female crewmember explained about Kreisberg's (above in September) sets. Others familiar to the show echoed similar sentiments
A male colleague substantiated such claims, saying Kreisberg's sets were 'an environment in which women — assistants, writers, executives, directors — were all evaluated based on their bodies, not on their work.'
The same colleague explained he spoke to both WB and the showrunner about his behavior on several occasions, but said it 'had no impact.'
So far, Kreisberg had categorically denied any and all allegations against him.
Not a solitary incident: A male colleague substantiated harassment claims, saying Kreisberg's sets were 'an environment in which women — assistants, writers, executives, directors — were all evaluated based on their bodies, not on their work'
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