‘Power’ star Michael Rainey Jr. speaks out after being allegedly assaulted on TyTy James’ Twitch livestream
11 June 2024, 11:56
The 'Power' actor Michael Rainey Jr. has released a statement after he appeared on a Twitch livestream and was seemingly assaulted.
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Power's Michael Rainey Jr. has broken his silence after he was grabbed without his consent during an appearance on popular Twitch streamer TyTy James' livestream this week.
The 23-year-old actor, who is most known for his role as Tariq St. Patrick on Power, appeared on the Twitch stream and was grabbed inappropriately by James' sister, which was caught on camera and later circulated across social media.
In a statement written on his Instagram story, the actor has spoken out about the incident, saying he is "still in shock" from the livestream.
Taking to social media, Michael said: "At this point, everyone has seen the video circulating online. I am still in shock and don't fully know how to process what happened last night."
This is an unfortunate situation that I do not condone in any way. I can't take it lightly because I know I would be in series trouble if the roles were reversed."
He finished by saying: "The fact is, sexual assault is never okay, regardless of gender or status. We're all human, and we should respect each other. Most importantly, we should always respect ourselves."
A representative for the actor told PEOPLE that he feels "deeply saddened and shocked by the events that occurred during the TyTy James live stream this past weekend. He is still processing what happened and doesn't entirely know how to feel about it."
"This situation is not being taken lightly," the statement continued. "Sexual harassment and assault are serious and unacceptable acts.
Taking advantage of someone's celebrity in this manner devalues entertainers and underscores the need to respect their humanity. Those who entertain us are human beings just like everyone else."
In the video from the livestream which went viral across social media, the streamer's sister's hands were blocked by children standing in front of him, but the actor looked visibly uncomfortable after she approached him.
He appeared to look down in an effort to block her touch while looking around for help, and shortly left the livestream after the incident.
TyTy James has also released a statement on social media, writing, "After the actions that occurred during my stream last night I would like to sincerely apologize to Michael and his family for what took place."
"My little sister was completely wrong and out of line. What she did was very inappropriate and unacceptable. I am truly embarrassed and disgusted by her actions."
