Rose McGowan Accuses Director Alexander Payne of Sexual Misconduct When She Was Just 15

On Monday, actress Rose McGowan took to social media to reveal the devastating news that a director she once worked with allegedly sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager.

Taking to Twitter, Rose McGowan, 46, shared the shocking allegation that director Alexander Payne, 59, sexually assaulted her when she was only 15. At the time, the director was in his twenties.

She claimed in her tweet that he made her watch a soft-porn film he’d directed for Showtime. The incident allegedly occurred at his apartment in Silverlake after a family member left her behind in Hollywood to fend for herself.

SAYING “NO” TO ABUSE

She hinted in the post that he exposed his genitals to her and left her at a street corner after the incident. The post included a gif of McGowan standing alone with the word “No” behind her.

In the gif, she motioned “no” with her hands. In a follow-up post on Instagram, the “Charmed” actress shared an image of herself when she was 15.

BEING GROOMED

She elaborated on her Twitter post sharing that she now knew she had been “groomed” by Payne. The incident, which happened while she was auditioning for him, crippled her and led her to quit pursuing an acting career.

She was later discovered when she was 21 and decided to give it a shot. The star explained how in denial she was on the sexual assault incident that in 2012, she tweeted a congratulatory message to Payne.

SOCIAL CONDITIONING

However, three weeks after Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault allegations came out; McGowan re-evaluated what had happened to her as a teenager. She confessed, in the post, to feeling guilty about derailing Payne’s career, and noted how this was all part of social conditioning.

The actress revealed that she was saddened by the whole thing instead of being angry. She shared how she was sad for her 15-year-old self and “Sad for the adult me that still thought it was a choice I made.”

BEING IN DENIAL

Speaking to her fans, she noted how sexual assault wasn’t one’s fault and that it wasn’t okay. McGowan shared how she’d joke with Payne about him taking advantage of her when she was 15.

She recalled laughing the incident off with him at events. The star warned against sleeping with minors; noting it was a crime.

LETTING GO OF SHAME

She remembered blaming herself for what he did because she’d found him attractive. The actress encouraged other survivors to not hold on to the shame of it all as it was the perpetrators and not theirs.

She noted how groomers were skilled at what they do and confessed she was too young then to notice the warning signs. The star explained that she’d named Payne on Twitter because she used Instagram to express her softer side.

ASKING FOR BLESSINGS

She shared how she didn’t want to taint her Instagram account by naming him there. McGowan concluded her post by asking for blessings from God for everyone except people who abused their power.

ROSE WANTS AN APOLOGY

She also toasted everyone’s freedom. In another tweet, the actress explained that she just wanted an apology from Payne and didn’t want to destroy his life.

ACCUSING HARVEY WEINSTEIN

She is one of the first women to publicly accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct. In February 2020, he was convicted on two separate rape and sexual assault charges but he denied McGowan’s allegation.

HARVEY IS A MONSTER

In her memoir, “Brave,” McGowan described Weinstein as “the Monster” and likened his face to a melted pineapple. The “Scream” actress was one of the people who pushed people to sign a Time's Up petition to in support of Weinstein’s accusers.