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Reneé Rapp Recalls “Jarring” Incident With Man at Drew Barrymore Event

Reneé Rapp, the Broadway star who played Regina George in Mean Girls, recently opened up about a “jarring” incident she experienced with a man at a Drew Barrymore event. In an interview with People, Rapp shared that she was attending the event as a guest of Barrymore, who had invited her after seeing her perform in the musical. Rapp said that she was excited to meet Barrymore, who is one of her idols, and that the event was a “dream come true”.

However, things took a turn for the worse when Rapp encountered a man who made her feel uncomfortable and violated. Rapp said that the man approached her and asked her what she did for a living. When she told him that she was an actress, he proceeded to ask her invasive questions about her body and appearance, such as how much she weighed, how tall she was, and what size clothes she wore. Rapp said that the man also touched her without her consent, grabbing her arm and waist.

Rapp said that she felt “shocked” and “frozen” by the man’s behavior, and that she didn’t know how to react. She said that she tried to be polite and smile, but that she wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. She said that she felt like he was objectifying her and treating her like a “piece of meat”. She said that she wondered if he would have acted the same way if she was a man, or if he would have respected her more.

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Rapp said that the incident made her realize how much women have to deal with harassment and sexism in the entertainment industry and in society in general. She said that she felt angry and sad that this was still happening in 2023, and that she wanted to use her voice and platform to speak out against it. She said that she hoped that by sharing her story, she could inspire other women to stand up for themselves and to support each other. She also thanked Barrymore for being a role model and a mentor for her, and for creating a safe and empowering space for women in the industry.