Supergirl star Melissa Benoist has just come forward as "a survivor of domestic violence." Benoist published a video to Instagram reading a statement she wrote detailing the violence in the relationship. In the video, the Supergirl actress said, "the stark truth is I learned what it felt like to be pinned down and slapped repeatedly, punched so hard I felt the wind go out of me, dragged by my hair across pavement, head-butted, pinched until my skin broke, shoved against the wall so hard the drywall broke, choked...”
Melissa adds, "work, in general, was a touchy subject, he didn’t want me ever kissing or even having flirtatious scenes with men which was very hard for me to avoid. So I began turning down auditions, job offers, test deals, friendship because I didn’t want to hurt him." Benoist broke up with her abuser after an incident where he threw an iPhone at her face and broke her nose, almost rupturing her eyeball. She says of the moment, "something inside of me broke, this was too far, I couldn’t flush this one down.”
After Benoist published the video online, Supergirl executive producers Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter wrote a statement saying, "Melissa Benoist is a hero, both on and off the screen.” The statement continues saying, “she is an extraordinary woman and we are proud to stand with her and behind her. We applaud her bravery and strength and we join her in hoping this incredible act of honestly encourages other people to speak up and find safety and support. We love you Melissa.”
