“Love Is Blind” creator Chris Coelen is once again speaking out against a new lawsuit filed against the Netflix dating show.
Season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell previously filed a lawsuit against the production company, Kinetic Content, claiming that he was deprived of food, water and sleep during filming, among other allegations. Coelen recently denied the allegations.
Season 5 contestant Tran Dang, who was not featured in any episodes of the latest season, has also filed a lawsuit against Kinetic Content alleging that she was sexually assaulted on set by her ex-fiancé and that the producers did nothing to stop her.
Season 5 Contestant Claims She Was Sexually Assaulted On ‘Love Is Blind’ Set
According to court documents obtained by People magazine, Tran Dang claims that he was “aggressively recruited” for the show and “did not seek involvement” in the Netflix reality show. During filming, he said that the actor was “deliberately isolated for two weeks” without a cell phone or wallet.
At the time, Dang said that he was provided with alcohol and “limited food” during filming. The lawsuit states that “the combination is designed to encourage them to engage in engaging conversations and actions that will increase viewer ratings.” It further claimed that Dang had to “ask for permission” to use the restroom and was “barred from leaving his hotel room without express permission and kept under 24-hour surveillance.”
According to the lawsuit, Dang claimed that she was engaged to fellow contestant Thomas Smith. Neither Dang nor Smith were used in promotional material for season 5 or listed as contestants when the cast list was announced in September 2023.
Dang claims that she was sexually assaulted by Smith on May 3, 2022, while the two were on their honeymoon in Mexico paid for by the show. The complaint alleges that Smith “forcefully groped her” and “exposed himself.” The complaint also alleges that he “repeatedly engaged in sexual intercourse over her express objection.”
Since they were filmed the whole time, Dang pointed out that “this traumatic act might have been caught on film.” Dang said that he was left “bewildered” when the publisher did not intervene to “stop the harassment.” Although she said she reported the incident, court filings state that an assistant producer “noticed her, implying that she was at fault for what had happened with Thomas Smith by not communicating effectively or somehow not taking the ‘relationship’ seriously.”
She claims that she also reported his behavior during a May 14 phone call that occurred after the couple returned to Houston, Texas. He claims that even though he tried to quit the show, he was told that he had to film a “final scene” where producers told him what to say.
Chris Coelen Denies Tran Dang Made Any Claims Of Sexual Assault During Filming
As reported by the publication, Chris Coelen has denied that he was imprisoned against his will. She also denied any allegations that she informed producers that she had been sexually assaulted on set.
“He didn’t make any claims of assault of any kind,” Coelen said. “We will not continue filming with someone who states that such an incident has taken place. We have psychologists around the clock, a highly trained production team, we have a whole battalion of people whose job it is to make sure that we prioritize the well-being of our participants. But participants need to be actively involved in the process.”
“Claiming that you were falsely imprisoned on Love Is Blind is ridiculous and absurd. You come and go as you choose. You don’t have to stay. If you stay, that’s your decision,” he continued. “Participants are not under our control. They live their lives. We come in, we record them for a period of time, we leave. They can leave — like many, many, many people before — whenever they want.”
“And we’re not filming all the time. We do not install cameras in their private living spaces. We did not do that,” he added. “We are like a documentary. They are alone for a period of time, they are not under supervision. We don’t tell people what to say, or what to do, we consistently tell people that this is their journey, this is their life to lead as they choose. We are there to follow him.”
Coelen went on to say, “I’m not in a position to speculate about what happens with adults in their own time behind closed doors. I want to be really clear about that. I’m not saying her allegations of sexual assault are true or not. I am not in a position to say so. I really support and empathize with the person who made these allegations,” adding, “But what I will say is that his allegations against us are completely without merit.”
The first few episodes of season 5 are now available to stream on Netflix. The season finale is scheduled to air on October 13.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
