NOTE:The following article contains content that some might find disturbing. Please read at your own discretion. Sarah Polley is ready to talk about Jian Ghomeshi.
The Canadian actor’s new collection of essays, Run Towards The Danger, confronts some of her most traumatic experiences, including an alleged sexual encounter with Ghomeshi, the former CBC radio host who was accused of assaulting several women. (He was acquitted of all charges in 2016.) In her essay, The Woman Who Stayed Silent, Polley recounts the alleged sexual experience with Ghomeshi at his apartment when she was 16.
She says Ghomeshi, who was 28 at the time, hurt her and ignored her requests to stop. Read more: ‘Just too soon’: Jian Ghomeshi accuser speaks out after news of podcast Ghomeshi has not publicly responded to Polley’s claims as of this writing.
In an interview with CBC, Polley said she considered coming out with her story during Ghomeshi’s 2016 trial, but was dissuaded by lawyers who told her she’d be a “terrible” witness due to holes in her story, as well as subsequent interactions with the radio host on his show.