Mandy Moore knows she did the right thing when coming forward with claims of abuse against her ex-husband, Ryan Adams, though it may not have been an easy decision.
“Speaking your truth can be painful and triggering but it’s always worth it,” the This Is Us star, 34, captioned a photo of herself on Instagram on Thursday, February 14. “My heart is with all women who have suffered any sort of trauma or abuse. You are seen and heard. #sisterhoodforever”
The message comes just hours after The New York Times published an exposé in which Moore came forward with claims of psychological abuse against the record producer, 44. Six other women also shared their stories of either emotional abuse or sexual misconduct regarding Adams.
“Music was a point of control for him,” Moore said of Adams, whom she was married to for six years before filing for divorce in January 2015. “He would always tell me, ‘You’re not a real musician, because you don’t play an instrument.’”
The A Walk to Remember actress went on to add that the musician used to promise her that he’d record her songs, but would never follow through with it. He would also book her time in a record studio just to replace her with other female artists.
“His controlling behavior essentially did block my ability to make new connections in the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time — my entire mid-to-late 20s,” Moore told the Times. However, through his lawyers, Adams denied the claims, saying her view of their time together is “completely inconsistent with his view of the relationship.”
Others who came forward with their stories to the Times included Adams’ ex-fiancée, Meghan Butterworth, artist Courtney Jaye, singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers and a woman named Ava who claimed their online relationship began when she was just 14.
Ava claimed that her friendship with Adams led to graphic texting and that there was at least one instance where he exposed himself to her over Skype when she was underage.
The former Whiskeytown frontman released a statement to Us Weekly shortly after the exposé was published.
“I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologize deeply and unreservedly,” the statement read. “But the picture that this article paints is upsettingly inaccurate. Some of its details are misrepresented; some are exaggerated; some are outright false. I would never have inappropriate interactions with someone I thought was underage. Period. As someone who has always tried to spread joy through my music and my life, hearing that some people believe I caused them pain saddens me greatly. I am resolved to work to be the best man I can be. And I wish everyone compassion, understanding and healing.”
