9 hours ago
Brian Jordan Alvarez Accused of Sexual Assault by 'Caleb Gallo' Co-Star Jon Ebeling
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
"The English Teacher" star and creator Brian Jordan Alvarez has been accused by former collaborator Jon Ebeling of sexually assaulting Ebeling while filming a scene for their web sitcom "The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo" in 2016, USA Today reported.
Ebeling's accusation was reported by New York Magazine's Vulture in a Dec. 17 article [note: story is behind a paywall], USA Today noted, detailing that "Ebeling said he filed a police report with the Los Angeles Police Department in September and also reported Alvarez to the Screen Actors Guild."
Prior to that, USA Today recalled, Ebeling had hinted at something happening that resembled story points from the Netflix series "Baby Reindeer," in which star and writer Josh Gad depicts a young comedian being sexually exploited by a showbiz mentor.
The scene in question involved Alvarez's character orally servicing Ebeling's character. Rather than pantomiming the act, Ebeling claims, Alvarez – under cover of a blanket – allegedly "pulled down his underwear and actually began performing the act on him," USA Today relayed.
Ebeling told the publication that during the alleged assault, "I am assuming nobody on set knows what's going on under the comforter, and I'm just frozen."
The actor described a situation in which "I didn't know what to do. I'm on set with my director, who is assaulting me. It was a horrible feeling." Added Ebeling: "I was like, 'Wait a second. I didn't consent to this. We didn't talk about this.'"
"I was raped."
Reports said that the sitcom moment had its roots in reality.
"Ebeling told Vulture that he had previously allowed Alvarez to perform oral sex on him after Alvarez was pressuring him to hook up," USA Today reported, while "Alvarez maintained that Ebeling 'enthusiastically gave consent.'"
Attorney Michael J. Kump, representing Alvarez, told Vulture that "Brian briefly made contact with Mr. Ebeling's penis under the covers, believing (correctly and justifiably in light of Brian's then-current sexual relationship with Mr. Ebeling) that Mr. Ebeling was fine with it."
"Brian Jordan Alvarez's interactions with Jon Ebeling were always entirely consensual – as numerous witnesses have attested," The Wrap quoted an Alvarez spokesperson saying.
"Indeed, in 2018, two years after this alleged incident, Mr. Ebeling himself unambiguously said as much on tape," the spokesperson went on to say. "For many months, Mr. Ebeling has peddled his falsehoods to anyone who would listen but, when confronted with proof of his duplicity and definitive evidence provided by third parties showing why Mr. Ebeling should not be trusted, numerous media outlets declined to print his outrageous claims."
"Sadly, New York Magazine displayed no such judgment in its reckless headlong pursuit of publishing a salacious, attention-grabbing article, no matter the truth," the spokesperson added.
The FX comedy's eight-episode first season won acclaim when it aired earlier this year. Season 2 has yet to be announced.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.