Anthony Edwards Accuses Gary Goddard of Child Molestation and Rape
Anthony Edwards has accused Gary Goddard of child molestation and rape.
Actor and director Anthony Edwards shared on Friday that he too is a victim of child molestation at the hands of director, producer and his so-called "mentor," Gary Goddard. This revelation came in the form of an essay which he wrote and posted on Medium.
According to the now-55-year-old Edwards, he first met Goddard, now 63, when he was 12 years old. He says that Goddard had quickly become a dominant force in his life and was instrumental in teaching him the value of acting, friendship and studying. Unfortunately, Edwards alleged that the director preyed on his need to have a strong paternal figure in his life and had molested him. Not only that, he also claimed that Goddard even raped one of his friends.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Pedophiles prey on the weak. My father, who suffered from undiagnosed PTSD from WWII, was not emotionally available. Everyone has the need to bond, and I was no exception. My vulnerability was exploited. I was molested by Goddard, my best friend was raped by him — and this went on for years. The group of us, the gang, stayed quiet," he says.
Two years later, when he was 14 years old, Edwards was asked by his mother about the rumor that Goddard was a pedophile, and he ultimately denied it out of panic.
Edwards says he kept quiet because he felt responsible for what had happened, something that he says is a tragic effect of sexual abuse in children. The actor revealed that he was able to move on from his tragic experience and had sought therapy. Not only that, he also shared that he once confronted Goddard in an airport 22 years ago about what he had supposedly done and that the director had been remorseful for his wrongdoings.
However, a statement released by Goddard's spokesperson denies the allegations saying, "Gary first met Anthony more than 40 years ago. Gary was a mentor, teacher and a friend to Anthony, which makes this story all the more disturbing to him. As to the allegations that Mr. Edwards made in his post today, I can unequivocally deny them on Gary's behalf."
