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Grey’s Anatomy actor’s ‘appalling’ nude photo leak slammed

This Grey’s Anatomy star’s full frontal photo leak has set social media on fire – but it’s been slammed as an “appalling breach of consent.”

Erin Keller and Page Six
2 min read
May 11, 2022 - 2:24PM
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Broadway’s Second Stage Theatre has responded to this week’s leak of photos and video footage showing Grey’s Anatomyactor Jesse Williams full-frontal nude on stage.

Currently home to Williams’ Take Me Out play, the theatre said it was “appalled” that a spectator broke its sealed-phone policy and shared the eye-opening footage on social media.

The full-frontal footage, which surfaced on social media on Tuesday, was captured during a shower scene of the play, which tells the story of a gay professional baseball player dealing with coming out to his teammates and in the press. It opened on Broadway last month.

“Taking naked pictures of anyone without their consent is highly objectionable and can have severe legal consequences,” the theatre said in a statement shared on Instagram.

Jesse Williams in his best-known role on Grey's Anatomy.
Jesse Williams in his best-known role on Grey's Anatomy.

“Posting it on the internet is a gross and unacceptable violation of trust between the actor and audience forged in the theatre community.”

The theatre is also asking that no one else distribute the viral shots.

The Actors’ Equity Association also released a statement, outwardly calling the recording “sexual harassment and an appalling breach of consent.”

“As actors, we regularly agree to be vulnerable onstage in order to tell difficult and challenging stories, Kate Shindle, president of the association, said. “This does not mean that we agree to have those vulnerable moments widely shared by anyone who feels like sneaking a recording device into the theatre. Whoever did this knew not only that they were filming actors without their consent, but also that they were explicitly violating the theatre’s prohibition on recording and distribution.

Williams himself said stripping off was ‘not that big of a deal’. Picture: ABC
Williams himself said stripping off was ‘not that big of a deal’. Picture: ABC
Jesse Williams: ‘It’s whatever, it’s a body’.
Jesse Williams: ‘It’s whatever, it’s a body’.

“At every performance, there is a mutual understanding between the audience and the performers that we are sharing an experience limited to this time and place; that trust makes it possible for us to be exposed both emotionally and physically,” she continued.

But the damage may already be done. Fans have had a field day with the sight of Williams’ full-frontal on Twitter:

The actor had recently revealed that he was “terrified” of putting his body on display for the show, “but then I noted that that was what I asked God for,” he said. “I asked to be terrified. I asked to do something that was scary and challenging and made me earn it and made me feel alive and not comfortable.”

However, Williams, 40, didn’t seem concerned about nudity in general on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen yesterday.

“It’s a body – once you see it, you realise it’s whatever, it’s a body,” Williams said alongside co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, 46. “I just have to make it not that big of a deal.”

When Cohen questioned whether it helps when an actor can “feel good” about their body before baring all on stage, Jesse replied with a smile: “I would imagine so – I don’t, so I don’t know.”

This article originally appeared on Page Six and was reproduced with permission

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Originally published as Grey’s Anatomy actor’s ‘appalling’ nude photo leak slammed

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