Jena Malone, an actress, revealed in a recent Instagram post that she was sexually assaulted while filming one of The Hunger Games films.
Jena Malone, who played Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games franchise, shocked fans when she revealed on Wednesday that she was sexually assaulted while working on one of the films. The actor shared on Instagram how she had kept the ‘traumatic event’ hidden until now and is ready to make peace with herself.
Jena posted a photo of herself standing in a field full of sunshine with a caption detailing her journey, including a trigger warning at the start. “This photo was taken shortly after I finished mocking Jay Part 2 and had to say my final goodbyes to everyone on set.
We were shooting on a beautiful estate in the French countryside, and I asked the driver to let me out in this field to cry and capture this moment. Even though this time in Paris was extremely difficult for me because I was going through a bad breakup and was sexually assaulted by someone I worked with, “She wrote something in the caption.
The actor went on to say that it had been difficult for her to move on from the incident, but she had sought’restorative justice’ for it. “I was so full of gratitude for this project, the people I became close with, and this amazing role I got to play,” Jena said. A whirlwind of emotions that I’m only now beginning to sort through. I wish it wasn’t linked to such a traumatic event in my life, but that is the true wildness of life, I suppose. How to balance chaos and beauty.
I’ve worked very hard to heal and learn how to make peace with the person who violated me and with myself through restorative justice. It’s been difficult to talk about the Hunger Games and Johanna Mason [her character] without feeling the sharpness of the moment, but I’m ready to move on and reclaim the joy and accomplishment I felt.
Much love to all the survivors out there. The process is extremely slow and nonlinear. I’d like to say that I’m available to anyone who needs to talk, vent, or open up previously uncommunicated spaces within themselves. Please message me if you require a safe space to be heard.”
She went on to say: “A whirlwind of emotions that I’m only now learning to sort through. I wish it wasn’t linked to such a traumatic event in my life, but I guess that’s the true wildness of life. How to balance chaos and beauty.
“I’ve worked very hard to heal and learn how to make peace with the person who violated me and with myself through restorative justice.
“It’s been difficult to talk about The Hunger Games and Johanna Mason without feeling the sharpness of this moment in time, but I’m ready to move through it and reclaim the joy and accomplishment I felt.
“Many thanks to all of you survivors out there. The procedure is extremely slow and non-linear. I’d like to say that I’m available to anyone who needs to talk, vent, or open up previously uncommunicated spaces within themselves. Please direct message me if you require a safe space to be heard.”
Australian actor Stef Dawson, known most notably for playing Annie Cresta in The Hunger Games series, reacted to the post in the comments section and called Malone a “beautiful brave soul”.
Dawson felt “so deeply sorry” that Malone’s time in the film franchise was “full of such heartache and complexity”.
Willow Shields, who played Primrose Everdeen in the Hunger Games saga, commented that she was at a “loss of words” after seeing the post.
“I understand, and I hope you’re doing well despite the slow pace,” she wrote.
Jena Malone responded to an Instagram user’s message that her alleged assaulter could “walk away with no repercussions” in the comments section of her post.
“No, that’s not correct,” Malone responded. “I used restorative justice to allow healing and accountability and growth with the other person. It was a difficult process, but I believe it helped me get through some of the most difficult parts of my grief.”
The Pride and Prejudice star added that she doesn’t “fully see how the criminal justice system could fully repair [her] healing” nor is she interested in the “traditional cancel-like culture that has been created”.