Amber Tamblyn has responded to James Woods’ denial of her claim that he attempted to pick her up when she was 16, in an open letter addressed to the actor and published in Teen Vogue.
In the letter, the actress tells the full story of her meeting with the now-70-year-old actor.
“My friend Billy and I were at the Roxy on Sunset Boulevard seeing a band we loved. We decided to go to Mel’s diner on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood to get burgers after,” Tamblyn wrote. “Upon leaving the restaurant we were stopped by you and your friend, who both seemed very nice. At one point you suggested we should all go to Las Vegas together. ‘It’s such a great place, have you ever been?’ You tried to make it sound innocent. This is something predatory men like to do, I’ve noticed.”
She continued, “I told you my age, kindly and with no judgment or aggression. I told you my age because I thought you would be immediately horrified and take back your offer. You laughed and said, ‘Even better. We’ll have so much fun, I promise.’”
Tamblyn also pointed out that she wasn’t a well-known actress at the time, which is why Woods likely can’t remember the encounter.
The back-and-forth was ignited when Woods criticized the upcoming gay romance “Call Me by Your Name” on Twitter for the seven-year age gap between its two love interests. Star Armie Hammer, who plays the older man, responded, pointing out that Woods dated a 19-year-old when he was 60. Tamblyn then got involved, tweeting her story of Woods attempting to invite her to Las Vegas with him when she was 16.
Woods called the story a “lie” in a tweet, which prompted Tamblyn to post text messages with her friend recalling the incident.
Tamblyn went on to tie the situation to larger issues.
“The saddest part of this story doesn’t even concern me, but concerns the universal woman’s story,” she wrote. “The nation’s harmful narrative of disbelieving women first, above all else. Asking them to first corroborate or first give proof or first make sure we’re not misremembering or first consider the consequences of speaking out or first let men give their side or first just let your sanity come last.”