Did Robin Thicke assault topless Emily Ratajkowski in this music video?

If Robin Thicke’s song “Blurred Lines” wasn’t already shrouded in controversy since its release, model Emily Ratajkowski has dropped another shocking blow to the 2013 track. In a new book set to release on November 9th, Emily Ratajkowski claims that Robin Thicke groped her while she was topless for the music video shoot.

First reported by the Sunday Times of London, the book’s claim was fully confirmed by the music video’s director, Diane Martel. Read how Robin Thicke drunkenly assaulted the top model and other scandals tied to the song & video.

Emily Ratajkowski reveals alleged harassment

“Suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt the coolness and foreignness of a stranger’s hands cupping my bare breasts from behind. I instinctively moved away, looking back at Robin Thicke,” writes Ratajkowski, now thirty years old, in the book My Body, set to be released next month.

In the music video for “Blurred Lines”, Emily Ratajkowski is one of three partially naked models. Ratajkowski was filmed topless for the majority of the music video where she posed & acted with Robin Thicke, Pharell Williams, and TI. 

In her account of the event, the supermodel details that she initially enjoyed the shoot. However, soon Robin Thicke became inebriated and started to become belligerent.

“He smiled a goofy grin and stumbled backward, his eyes concealed behind his sunglasses. My head turned to the darkness beyond the set. [The director, Diane Martel’s] voice cracked as she yelled out to me, ‘Are you okay?’”, the book states.

Robin Thicke’s inappropriate behavior at the Los Angeles studio made the model feel “naked for the first time that day,” the British newspaper reported. “I pushed my chin forward and shrugged, avoiding eye contact, feeling the heat of humiliation pump through my body,” she said. “I didn’t react – not really, not like I should have.”

Director Diane Martel confirms the claim

The video’s director, Diane Martel confirmed the non-consensual encounter, according to the report. “I remember the moment that he grabbed her breasts,” she said. “One in each hand. He was standing behind her as they were both in profile. I screamed in my very aggressive Brooklyn voice, ‘What the f–k are you doing, that’s it!! The shoot is over!!’”

Martel said that Robin Thicke had been drinking during the shoot. According to the director, Thicke “sheepishly” apologized and was “contrite” afterward. “I don’t think he would have done this had he been sober,” she said.

Initial criticism concerning “Blurred Lines”’ misogyny

When the song was first released in 2013, the lyrics & video left many critics concerned over the apparent topic of questionable consent. The lyrics detail the conflict of the male singers/rappers who aren’t certain if a woman is giving consent or not. Ultimately, they sing “I know you want”. 

The song states, “I hate these blurred lines / I know you want it / but you’re a good girl / must wanna get nasty”. At the time of its release, the concept of consent was finally beginning to gain traction and the phrase, “No means no” began to pop up in national PSAs and college campus campaigns.

However, the song’s problematic meaning & sensual music video seemed to reinforce the idea that lack of consent isn’t necessarily no consent. The news that Emily Ratajkowski was sexually harassed while topless on the set of the video only proves that the musician involved may follow his lyrics too closely.

Ratajkowski has previously revealed her dislike for the song

While this is the first time Emily Ratajkowski has spoken about the alleged incident publicly, she’s been frank in the past about her hate for the music video.

“I wasn’t into the idea at all at first,” Ratajkowski told InStyle U.K. in 2015. “I think I came off as a bit annoyed in the video. Now, it’s the bane of my existence. When anyone comes up to me about ‘Blurred Lines,’ I’m like, are we seriously talking about a video from three years ago?”

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Clearly, the model & actress is ready to move on from the problematic topless project and leave it in the past. Will Robin Thicke address the sexual harassment statement? Did you hate the video & song when it was first released? Let us know in the comments below!