Former superstar couple Damon Gillespie and Grace Aki are suing one another over allegations that he was abusive.
Patrick McMullan through Getty Picture
A made-for-TV romance between an actor and his YouTube star partner has devolved right into a authorized duel — over her claims that he was violent.
TV actor and hip-hop dancer Damon Gillespie and actress and YouTuber Grace Aki met whereas working in musical theater in 2014, bonding over their love of Broadway and present tunes.
The pair, whose engagement was reported by Folks Journal, married in October 2018, however by final summer season, the music was over, in keeping with courtroom papers.
Now the 2 have traded lawsuits in opposition to one another.
A month earlier than their July 2021 break up was official, Aki went on her podcast, “Inform Me on a Sunday,” for an episode about home violence, describing her personal expertise with abuse and claiming Gillespie bodily abused and threatened her.
She referred to the actor not by title, however solely as her “husband,” calling him a “monster, abusive, narcissistic, conceited, entitled asshole,” authorized papers present.
Gillespie, 28, responded by submitting a September lawsuit in opposition to his ex-wife in Manhattan Supreme Court docket, claiming her allegations had broken his repute and price him work. Gillespie, who starred within the 2018 NBC TV drama, “Rise,” has additionally appeared on “Inside Amy Schumer” and had a task in Netflix’s “Tiny Fairly Issues.”
Gillespie’s true nature didn’t turn out to be clear to Aki till 2019, she stated in her personal Manhattan Supreme Court docket lawsuit filed Friday.
It was not till 2019 that she “started to appreciate that the person she married had hid vicious persona traits from her,” Aki stated in her personal Manhattan Supreme Court docket lawsuit in opposition to him, filed Friday.
Gillespie verbally harassed, pushed and shoved her, and at one level, deserted her alone in another country, Aki alleged within the authorized papers.
She claims he left their residence early within the pandemic, returning with out clarification months later. She locked herself in a bed room to get away from him, in keeping with the go well with, and put out a cry for assist, telling mates through Instagram that she feared for her security.
Gillespie allegedly noticed her messages and have become enraged, forcing her door open so onerous it made a gap within the wall, then pulling her off the bed by her leg and threatened her, Aki charged within the litigation.
Gillespie’s lawsuit is only a continuation of his abuse, Aki alleges.
There’s even a authorized time period for it: a Strategic Lawsuit Towards Public Participation, or SLAPP, in keeping with Aki’s lawyer, Valdi Licul. The intent of a so-called SLAPP lawsuit is to not rating a authorized victory, however fairly to intimidate and silence critics.
“His go well with is baseless,” Aki’s Valdi Licul stated. “He needs to carry a lawsuit to close her up.”
In his lawsuit, Gillespie denied ever being violent towards Aki, however stated the injury to his profession has been finished.
He stated his publicist and agent fired him because of the dangerous publicity he acquired from her podcast and that his profession has suffered. He stated he’s additionally been threatened by strangers on social media.
A lawyer for Gillespie declined remark.
“It's my common apply that I don't strive my instances within the press,” Gillespie’s lawyer Richard Altman informed The Put up. “Every little thing I've to say is within the courtroom papers. Neither I nor my shopper may have any remark.”
Further reporting by Kathianne Boniello
Post a Comment