Björk Shares Experience of Harassment By ‘Danish Director:’ He Created ‘An Impressive Net of Illusion’

In light of the mushrooming Harvey Weinstein scandal in Hollywood, which has prompted numerous women in entertainment to share their stories with harassment, Icelandic musician Björk has come forward with her story of harassment by a Danish film director, who she says harassed her while she was working on his film.

“It was extremely clear to me when I walked into the actresses profession (sic) that my humiliation and role as a lesser sexually harassed being was the norm and set in stone with the director and a staff of dozens who enabled it and encouraged it,” she wrote in a statement posted to Facebook.

While not specifying the exact form the harassment took, Björk explained, “When I turned the director down repeatedly he sulked and punished me and created for his team an impressive net of illusion where I was framed as the difficult one. Because of my strength, my great team and because I had nothing to loose (sic) having no ambitions in the acting world, I walked away from it and recovered in a years time.”

According to the singer, she confronted him about his behavior, which she believes may have mitigated his actions afterward. She adds, however, that although her career was not permanently affected by the harassment, other actresses who have worked with the director may have experienced more long-lasting effects.

She continues that “the director was fully aware of this game and I am sure of that (sic) the film he made after was based on his experiences with me. Because I was the first one that stood up to him and didn’t let him get away with it.”

Bjork ends her statement with a call to action — “let’s stop this” — and asserts that “there is a wave of change in the world.”

Björk has acted in only two films, 1990’s “The Juniper Tree,” directed by Nietzchka Keene, and 2000’s “Dancer in the Dark,” directed by Lars von Trier.

Read Björk’s statement in full below:

“i am inspired by the women everywhere who are speaking up online to tell about my experience with a danish director . because i come from a country that is one of the worlds place closest to equality between the sexes and at the time i came from position of strength in the music world with hard earned independence , it was extremely clear to me when i walked into the actresses profession that my humiliation and role as a lesser sexually harassed being was the norm and set in stone with the director and a staff of dozens who enabled it and encouraged it . i became aware of that it is a universal thing that a director can touch and harass his actresses at will and the institution of film allows it . when i turned the director down repeatedly he sulked and punished me and created for his team an impressive net of illusion where i was framed as the difficult one . because of my strength , my great team and because i had nothing to loose having no ambitions in the acting world , i walked away from it and recovered in a years time . i am worried though that other actresses working with the same man did not . the director was fully aware of this game and i am sure of that the film he made after was based on his experiences with me . because i was the first one that stood up to him and didn’t let him get away with it

and in my opinion he had a more fair and meaningful relationship with his actresses after my confrontation so there is hope

let’s hope this statement supports the actresses and actors all over

let’s stop this

there is a wave of change in the world

kindness

björk”

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