Percy Hynes White has responded to allegations of sexual misconduct posted about him on social media earlier this year.
The actor starred as psychic student Xavier Thorpe on the first season of the Netflix hit series Wednesday, opposite Jenna Ortega in the title role. The series is based on the fictional Addams Family and follows daughter Wednesday Addams (Ortega) as she attends a high school for students with magical powers.
In January, a series of tweets accused Hynes White of alleged sexual activities with several women, with at least one message claiming that a victim was underage. In response to the initial tweets, some Wednesday fans have campaigned for his removal from the show. The tweets appear to have since been deleted.
Hynes White has now reacted to the allegations publicly for the first time. While not mentioning the specific details of the claims against him, the 21-year-old actor stated that the tweets were untrue and part of a “campaign of misinformation”.
“Earlier this year, somebody I’ve never met started a campaign of misinformation about me online. Because of this, my family has been doxxed, and my friends have received death threats,” Hynes White wrote in a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday (6 June).
“Underage photos of me were used, and examples of me acting in character were presented as hateful. My friend Jane was falsely portrayed as a victim, and her attempts to set the record straight have been ignored. She gave me permission to include her in this message.”
He continued: “The rumours are false. I can’t accept the portrayal of me as someone bigoted, or criminally negligent of people’s safety. These are the kind of baseless, harmful claims that can create mistrust toward victims.
“It’s very distressing to know that this misinformation has upset people. I’m really thankful for everyone who’s stood by me and helped share the facts. Harassment of my family, friends and coworkers needs to stop please. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”
The Independent has reached out to a representative of Hynes White for further comment.
As of now, casting information for season two of Wednesday is yet to be released. Netflix confirmed in March that a second season had been commissioned.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk.
If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
