Over a month ago, model Emily Ratajkowski accused Robin Thicke of groping her bare breasts on the set of the “Blurred Lines” music video shoot, and she’s now revealing that she hadn’t even remembered the incident until years later.
Ratajkowski’s appearance at the event is detailed in one of her essays from her new book My Body, which explores how she has viewed her body throughout her life and career, including during the birth of her first child in March. Ratajkowski acknowledged that she didn’t want to think about Thicke again because of how he might respond and how the world responds to such accusations.
“I didn’t want to write anything about ‘Blurred Lines’ in particular. I’ve spent my entire career trying not to be the woman from that video. To just open up that can of worms and say, “Let’s have a conversation about it,” went against all of my instincts.,” she told Alex Cooper. “I wrote about it because I had previously put it in a certain category and box and considered and discussed it in one way. Because I was like no, no, no, I didn’t even fully remember the experience. It’s this or that or whatever. And once I realized that things had been a little more complicated than I previously assumed, that’s when I remembered this problem and experience. And it was like, “Oh my God.” That’s why I put it first in the book to begin with.”
When she was working as a model in 2013, Lena Ratajkowski recalled the reasons why she agreed to be in the music video at the time. “One of the things that people don’t know about the video is that it was directed by a woman, and part of the reasons I accepted it were because Diane Martel directed it,” she Explained. “She advised me there would be a lot of other women, but I got a very different and unexpected vibe when I arrived on set. This was Not like the majority of the work I was doing at that time.”
Ratajkowski didn’t recognize Thicke at the time, but she was a fan of Pharrell, who featured on the song. She also wasn’t paid much cash; nevertheless, she earned more than she had been promised. In comparison to her previous modeling engagements at the time, her experience on the set before meeting with Thicke was notably positive.
“You’re a mannequin, which is what I mention in the book. Simply being utilized as a body and a face. It was not like that at all. Older girls would say things like, ‘Oh my God, you look so cute; do you like your outfit?’ That’s why I think I dance so weirdly and funny. When you’re like at ease with your buddies and dancing about, you just feel completely at home. That was the bulk of the shoot, to be honest.,” she explained. “So why would a lot of individuals claim things like, ‘This video is misogynistic; why did you decide to do it, aren’t you ashamed?’ Basically, I was like, ‘Get off my back, f*** off. It was my decision, and at the time I felt powerful. And guess what? Now that I’m famous, I’m making more money than I did then, so how can you claim otherwise?'”
Later in the day, after filming a sequence alone with Thicke, Ratajkowski’s experience altered. However, the recollection vanished soon after she departed the set that day.
“I don’t want to imply that I forgot. Because it also suggests that it was a decision. It wasn’t a choice. I wasn’t like, “I’m just not going to remember that bit.”” She Explained.
It was then that it occurred to her, when Thicke’s name was in the news.
“I was just lying in bed, searching Robin Thicke’s Instagram because his partner had just discovered she was expecting a child. He was on E News. And I was blocked. I was like, “Why am I restricted?” And I sat there for a second and thought to myself, “Did I say something in the press?” Then it came back to me: when he was somewhat intoxicated and in a bad mood, we were shooting by ourselves. He put his hands on my breasts rather suddenly at that time.,” she recalled.
Lena Ratajkowski then recalled that the music was stopped midway through filming, with an “odd moment” on set. “I couldn’t have complained in that situation. I was 21, and I was a nobody on a wall at a modeling agency who you could choose from. It’s an actual meat market business. So I didn’t complain, and I simply went home, never informing anybody about it really.”
The actress had previously been blocked from Thicke’s social media, which she pointed out to Martel. When Ratajkowski claimed that it might have been about anything that occurred on the set, Martel allegedly denied it.
In October, the allegations against Thicke made headlines after an advance copy of her book — and this article in particular — was leaked.
“The entire reason I wrote this book was to tell my story and exercise control over the narrative.,” she told Cooper. “I felt I needed to express myself in my own words. And, in a 5,000-word essay that goes through all of the details of that day. What made it appealing, what turned me off, and how this affected my life. I also talked about why this was so significant to me, as well as the parts that were excellent and those that were terrible. This is a significant element of my political and ideological development.”
The 30-year-old also stated that she does not subscribe to cancel culture and was concerned her account of the event might spark it. “I’m sure that Robin Thicke has a lot of great qualities.,” Ratajkowski continued. “I don’t buy into the concept of “good guys vs. bad guys.” I believe that we live in a culture where men are permitted to feel as though they can act in any way they choose. It doesn’t imply that someone is good or bad because they did this one thing or didn’t do that one thing.”
When the allegations were published to the media, Martel said that she had a recall of the event. Ratajkowski has not heard from Thicke, however.
“It was the most difficult essay in the book to create, and it’s one of the more basic in many ways. I expected what I’d seen this week’s reaction to be like. I know how people work.” Ratajkowski said, “I knew that people would say, ‘She was naked in a music video; why has she waited so long?’ The same things apply. There are definitely repercussions for me. Because this information became public, people have all kinds of ideas about me.”
Although the section on “Blurred Lines” was previously at the beginning of Ratajkowski’s book, she moved it to be the second chapter to avoid readers making certain assumptions.
“I don’t think I wanted to be a role model, but I thought that if a book with my name on it came out and someone walked into a bookstore and saw the name and said, ‘OK, My Body,’ or something like that. And they opened up the first chapter and read about “Blurred Lines,” they’d be like, ‘of course,’ OK. “And the book isn’t that. It’s not a celebrity autobiography. It’s a collection of essays discussing many diverse topics, and I just wanted to take that chance with that individual.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login