“False, insensitive, defamatory” – When Kobe Bryant’s wife Vanessa SNAPPED at actress Evan Rachel Wood for calling her husband ‘R*PIST’ after fatal accident
Vanessa Bryant once called out Evan Rachel Woods for bringing up Kobe's 'rape' case
Follow Us
(Vanessa Bryant and Rachel Woods) Credits: Michelle Quance / Variety and Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images
Vanessa Bryant once found herself compelled to respond to a troubling comment made by an actress in the aftermath of Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing. Vanessa courageously came forward to defend her late husband when she discovered an old tweet from Evan Rachel Wood that had caught her attention.
In 2020, following the tragic death of Bryant, Hollywood actress Evan Rachel Wood made a reference to the previous rape allegations against him on the same day. Vanessa responded to her comments in 2021, one year after the actress’s initial tweet.
Rachel Wood took to social media On January 26th, 2020, and wrote, “He was a sports hero. He was also a r*pist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously.” The remark received severe backlash from fans and was removed shortly after.
In a new statement addressing the tragedy, Rachel wrote, “What has happened is tragic. Beloveds, this was not a condemnation or a celebration.” She added, “Everyone has lost. Everyone will be triggered, so please show kindness and respect to all.”
Rachel’s ill-conceived attempt to tarnish Kobe’s reputation had unintended consequences when Vanessa became aware of the tweet a year later. She took to Instagram to express her thoughts regarding the Emmy award-winning actress’s remarks.
“Your false, insensitive, defamatory, and slanderous tweet on 1/26/20 is vile and disturbing, to say the least,” Vanessa wrote, “This is part of the reason why innocent black men go to jail for crimes they didn’t commit. An accusation doesn’t make someone guilty.”
The whole ordeal was based on Kobe’s 2003 alleged rape allegations. Bryant was charged with sexual assault when a 19-year-old woman claimed that Kobe tried to r*pe her in a hotel room in Colorado. The incident, according to the NBA legend, was strictly consensual. The case ended in 2004 after the accuser failed to testify in court.
Related: 10 amazing Kobe Bryant quotes: Inspirational words from NBA legend
Vanessa Bryant sued the president of Kobe Inc.
Vanessa Bryant won a major legal battle against the president of Kobe Inc. According to reports, Molly Carter, the then-president of Kobe Inc., tried to overtake several of Kobe’s multi-million dollar investments in Coca-Cola.
Molly Carter filed a legal claim alleging that Kobe verbally promised her a 2% share of the proceeds from his sale of Body Armour to Coca-Cola, an allegation that Kobe vehemently denied before his untimely passing. In response to Carter’s actions, Vanessa Bryant filed a counter-lawsuit asserting that Carter violated a provision within her employment contract.
The case ended with the arbitrator ruling in Bryant’s favor. Apart from Carter’s work violations, she was also accused of using derogatory and racist comments aimed at Bryant.
Molly Carter is now working as the head of Granity Studios after her departure from Kobe Inc. Vanessa Bryant, on the other hand, is looking ahead to the re-launch of Kobe’s sneaker line with Nike.
In Case You Missed It:
- James Harden wants to REUNITE with former MVP to form SUPER TEAM in LA
- Jimmy Butler makes HUGE PROMISE as Heat continue chase for Damian Lillard
Stay Updated!
Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)