'Stranger Things' Star Finn Wolfhard Severs Ties With Agent Over Sexual Assault Controversy
As fans continue their countdown to season 2 of "Stranger Things" debuting later this week, one of the show's stars decided to sever his ties with his agent amid a sexual abuse claim.
According to a report from TheWrap, Finn Wolfhard who plays Mike Wheeler in Netflix's hit series has parted ways his agent, Tyler Grasham, after the latter was accused by another actor of sexual assault. Grasham belonged to the APA talent agency, the report added.
The claim came from Blaise Godbe Lipman, a former actor who now works as a director. Lipman said that Grasham gave him alcohol, which eventually led to him being sexually abused by the latter. The alleged incident took place a decade ago, back when Lipman was still a teenager.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The revelation stemmed from one of Lipman's Facebook posts where shared his experience in line with the #MeToo campaign. The post aimed to raise awareness and extend support for victims of sexual abuse. Independent reported that Lipman shared some details regarding his experience, though he did not name his offender.
"We had a 'business' lunch to discuss potential [representation]. He ordered me a drink. I said I was 17. He said don't be rude, this is business, this is how things are done. I didn't know better. He got me drunk, etc etc etc. SUCH A TIRED CLICHÉ," wrote Lipan on Facebook. He also said that the offender was still with the APA and using his position "to coerce young boys" the same way Harvey Weinstein did, Lipman explained.
In turn, Grasham "poked" him on his succeeding post, which led to Lipman responding and naming the former as the unnamed perpetrator. "The 'poke' reminded me about Tyler's harassment after the ordeal. He told me I'd never work in this biz. He'd have his friends drunklenly call me and berate me. I didn't do anything at the time. I was young and desperately wanted acceptance within my industry. His threats felt very real," Lipman wrote.
The APA, for their part, said that they are looking very closely into the matter. "APA takes these allegations extremely seriously and is investigating this matter," said the agency's spokesperson to TheWrap.
Meanwhile, another star also cut ties with Grasham in the wake of the sexual assault claim. Cameron Boyce, one of the stars of "Descendants," has also severed ties with Grasham, according to a Fortune report.
