Alexander Westwoodwas quick to brag about his acting credentials.
Blood-spattered selfies show him costumed as a Great War soldier on location for BBC crime dramaFather Brown.
It certainly speaks to broader issues around abuses of power in the entertainment industry.
Alexander Westwood in front of the yellow lockers of Moordale Secondary School in ‘Sex Education’Netflix/Short film ‘Friends and Benefits’
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What was meant to be a dream opportunity soon turned into a nightmare ordeal.
It turned out this was a pattern of behavior and Lilly wasnt alone in her suffering.
Last week,he was jailed for 15-and-a-half yearsafter being convicted of 26 counts of sexual assault and rape.
There were five victims, including one other he met through acting tuition.
If an actor goes off stage, you better clap, Lillys mother said at the time.
Undress In Front Of Me
Lilly says her first lessons at Westwoods home in December 2020 started without suspicion.
After performing her first monologue, Westwood told Lilly to change into her costume.
She motioned for the bathroom.
No, undress in front of me, came the reply.
When youre in that moment, your brain freezes, Lilly recalls.
In the end, she remembers turning away from Westwood and quickly changing into her costume.
Lilly performed her piece and changed back into her clothes, again all under Westwoods gaze.
I was trying to say to myself, Its fine, youre ok.
But of course, it was not ok.
Imagine being in a room with a man of 21 and youre just a frightened 16-year-old.
You dont know whats going to happen next, Lilly says.
Westwood drew closer to his student and asked about her sexual history.
Erm, kissing, Lilly replied.
Are you a virgin?
It was at this point that Lilly recalls Westwood kissing and touching her intimately without consent.
She couldnt escape, she couldnt call her mother, and a predator was sitting right next to her.
He then changed tack.
She recalls it being the most disgusting moment ever.
He was also quick to coerce Lilly into silence.
He made explicit threats to ruin her education and career unless she continued with her lessons.
He was in regular contact with her mother.
Lilly felt scared, ashamed, and suicidal.
She was left bleeding after the encounter.
Its a habit that she has found hard to break years later.
The actor repeatedly contacted Lillys mother to ask about her attendance and demanded payment for missed tuition.
So when I confirm slots, I expect them to be attended.
Lilly kept her silence for another seven months before the floodgates opened in September 2021.
Westwood denied all charges and appeared unmoved in the dock, even taking notes during hearings.
As he was sentenced, onlookers saw him smirking.
The judge admonished his seemingly nonchalant attitude.
No Sentence Will Give Me Back My Life
Lilly believes Westwoods sentence was lenient.
She claims there are other survivors whose cases were not heard as part of the trial.
She argues that he can never be rehabilitated.
Does she think its possible he offended on the set ofSex Education?
I wouldnt be surprised, she replies.
No sentence will ever give me back my life, Lilly says.
I still have a passion for drama, but its hard, she continues.
Voluntary organizations includingRape CrisisandWomens Aidcan also offer support.
