A Kiwi actress said she heard Hollywood director Brett Ratner's sexual misconduct towards Ellen Page first-hand.
In a lengthy Facebook post Ellen Page detailed a meet-and-greet with the cast for X-Men: The Last Stand, where she alleged Ratner turned to a woman 10 years her senior and made an inappropriate comment.
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"You should f**k her to make her realise she's gay," she claimed he said to the other woman, indicating back towards Page herself.
Wellington-born actress Anna Paquin later came forward on Twitter to back up the claim.
"I was there when that comment was made. I stand with you," Paquin said.
She later hit back at those who criticised her for not coming forward sooner.
"If you can't think of the glaringly obvious reason I remained silent then perhaps you've forgotten that I've been in this victim-grooming industry since before I hit puberty."
Page's lengthy post, which continued with Ratner's treatment of her throughout the filming process, had gained nearly 100,000 Facebook "likes" in seven hours.
"I knew I was gay, but did not know, so to speak. I felt violated when this happened. I looked down at my feet, didn't say a word and watched as no one else did either.
"He 'outed' me with no regard for my well-being, an act we all recognise as homophobic. I proceeded to watch him on set say degrading things to women.
"I got into an altercation with Brett at a certain point. He was pressuring me, in front of many people, to don a T-shirt with 'Team Ratner' on it.
"I said no and he insisted. I responded, 'I am not on your team.'
"Later in the day, producers of the film came to my trailer to say that I 'couldn't talk like that to him'. I was being reprimanded, yet he was not being punished nor fired for the blatantly homophobic and abusive behaviour we all witnessed."
She also claimed a director fondled her leg at the age of 16, and other directors asked her to sleep with an older man and tell them about it.
"I did not.
"They (abusers), want you to feel small, to make you insecure, to make you feel like you are indebted to them, or that your actions are to blame for their unwelcome advances.
"I am grateful to anyone and everyone who speaks out against abuse and trauma they have suffered. You are breaking the silence. You are revolution."
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