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'Gossip Girl' Star Penn Badgley Clarifies His 'Literally Been Molested' Comments
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Sept. 11 2018, Published 3:57 p.m. ET
On Monday, September 9, Penn Badgley made some contentious comments about his time starring at Dan Humphrey on the critically-acclaimed teen drama, Gossip Girl. But after realizing that his words may have been misunderstood by many, he decided to clarify his comments. Keep reading to hear what he said.
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The 31-year-old previously said during an interview with The Daily Beast that he has "literally been molested" after his GG fame thrusted him into the spotlight.
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When the show first aired in 2007, Penn said of his newfound notoriety that he's been the object of "pretty full-on obsession."
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He said, "I think as an actor you can become an object of desire, which is something women are already accustomed to more or less around the world."
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Now the You actor is making sure people understand what he meant. He told People, "The point of my comment was not to confess a personal trauma. I was speaking about the way emotional and physical boundaries are violated for someone in the public eye, who is seen as an object of desire."
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Penn opened up about his feelings in light of the #MeToo movement and how men like Terry Crews were able to come forward with their sexual harassment allegations.
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What do you think about Penn's controversial comments? Let us know your thoughts below!