Wednesday star Percy Hynes White is speaking out for the first time after being accused of sexual assault online.
“Hey everyone. There’s something I need to clarify,” the 21-year-old actor began a Tuesday, June 6, Instagram Story post. “Earlier this year, somebody I’ve never met started a campaign of misinformation about me online. Because of this, my family has been doxed, and my friends have received death threats.”
The Gifted alum claimed that in addition to people using “underage photos” and “examples of me acting in character” to present him as “hateful,” his friend “Jane was falsely portrayed as a victim,” and that her “attempts to set the record straight have been ignored.”
White wrote that “the rumors are false” and he won’t accept people portraying him as “someone bigoted, or criminally negligent of people’s safety.” He continued: “These are the kind of baseless, harmful claims that can create mistrust toward victims.”
He concluded his post by calling the spread of misinformation “distressing,” as well as thanked his fans for their support. “Harassment of my family, friends and coworkers needs to stop please,” White wrote. “Thank you for taking the time to read this.”
Earlier this year, the hashtag #cancelpercy gained momentum on Twitter after a user posted a series of tweets accusing the Pretty Hard Cases star of predatory behavior, sending images of himself to minors and using a racial slur during a performance. The Twitter thread has since been deleted.
While some fans have called for White’s Wednesday character, Xavier Thorpe, to be recast in the show’s upcoming season, other fans have shown their support for White using the hashtag #savepercy.
“So much hate here for a … twitter rumor? No one will address it bc there is no legal accusations, no legal proof, just some twits from ‘and my mut [sic] told me’ Moving on!” one fan commented on February 20 post on Wednesday’s official Instagram page. Another wrote, “Let things work legally then blame him until that please support.”
Netflix has yet to officially announce which cast members will return for the series’ sophomore outing.
White, for his part, has remained close with his costar Jenna Ortega and was her date at the 2023 Golden Globes in January — at which she was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy for her portrayal of Wednesday Addams.
“Thanks for the trip, cool guy,” the I Like Movies star captioned a January 11 Instagram selfie of the two of them at the awards show afterparty. The actors are also set to star in the upcoming romantic drama Winter Spring Summer Or Fall together.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
