Amber Tamblyn Pens Open Letter to James Woods: ‘I See Your Gaslight’
Amber Tamblyn had no qualms calling out James Woods for his recent proclamations on Twitter in an open letter she published to Teen Vogue Wednesday.
The actress first joined in a fiery exchange between Woods and Call Me By Your Name actor Armie Hammer on Monday after Woods tweeted about Hammer’s film – about a gay romance between a 24-year-old man (Hammer) and a 17-year-old – with the accompanying hashtag “#NAMBLA,” referencing the pedophilia advocacy group North American Man/Boy Love Association.
As they quietly chip away the last barriers of decency. #NAMBLA https://t.co/WqAnYxB604
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) September 11, 2017
Didn’t you date a 19 year old when you were 60…….?
— Armie Hammer (@armiehammer) September 11, 2017
Tamblyn backed her fellow actor up with an anecdote of her own, tweeting that “James Woods tried to pick me and my friend up at a restaurant once. He wanted to take us to Vegas. ‘I’m 16’ I said. ‘Even better’ he said.”
James Woods tried to pick me and my friend up at a restaurant once. He wanted to take us to Vegas. “I’m 16” I said. “Even better” he said.
— Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) September 11, 2017
Woods vehemently denied the claims, replying to an outraged follower, “The first is illegal. The second is a lie.”
The first is illegal. The second is a lie. https://t.co/0jD1dvtInC
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) September 12, 2017
In her powerful letter Wednesday, Tamblyn took issue with Woods’ assertion that she had lied about the interaction, detailing the story of how the two actors crossed paths nearly two decades ago.
“My friend Billy and I were at the Roxy on Sunset Boulevard seeing a band we loved,” she wrote. “We decided to go to Mel’s diner on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood to get burgers after. I had just gotten my driver’s license and very specifically remember my nervousness trying to park in the diner parking lot. Upon leaving the restaurant we were stopped by you and your friend, who both seemed very nice.”
Tamblyn then explained how Woods suggested the four of them should “all go to Las Vegas together” with “just a pinch of suggestion.”
“Here’s the thing, Mr. Woods. At that time I was not a public persona. I had done a couple years on a soap opera as an actress, but you wouldn’t know me from Adam,” she continued. “I’m sure you’ve racked your brain trying to remember how you could’ve possibly hit on the actress Amber Tamblyn at a diner almost two decades ago. You think, it’s not possible, there’s no way I would’ve been so stupid as to hit on a 16-year-old known actress. But I wasn’t known then, James. I was just a girl. And I’m going to wager that there have been many girls who were just girls or women who were just women who you’ve done this to because you can get away with it.”
Added the actress: “Since you’ve now called me a liar, I will now call you a silencer. I see your gaslight and now will raise you a scorched earth.”
Rolling Stone reached out to Woods’ publicist for comment on Tamblyn’s claims.