A complete timeline of the Miller, Perrineau allegations amid Harris’ support of Dunham
Dunham's past defense of Miller has once again come to light amid Jeremy O. Harris' latest tweet about the 'Girls' creator
Jeremy O. Harris, the Tony-nominated playwright who penned Slave Play, co-wrote the film Zola and more, is getting some serious heat after posting a controversial tweet this week.
As dialogue from the popular HBO show Girls began circulating on Twitter this week, many began pointing out that while series creator Lena Dunham has faced public scrutiny after defending a friend and colleague accused of rape, she is still a talented writer. Harris, a fan of Dunham’s work, was one of those who tweeted out his support.
While some users seemed to agree with him, many fans and viewers were quick to point out the murky waters of Dunham’s past, including the Murray Miller rape allegations.
As theGrio previously reported, in 2017, the actress/creator of Girls came under fire after defending Miller, a writer and producer of the series, after he was accused of raping then 17-year-old actress Aurora Perrineau, daughter of actor Harold Perrineau.
Per theGrio‘s report, Aurora revealed at the time that, “She met Miller while out drinking with her friends at LA’s Standard Hotel in 2012 when Miller was 35 and she was only 17. Later in the night, he asked one of her friends for a ride home and she went with them, somewhat reluctantly, and went into his house.”
She said in her statement, “At some point, I woke up in Murray’s bed naked. He was on top of me having sexual intercourse with me. I freaked out and was extremely upset and traumatized. At no time did I consent to any sexual contact with Murray.”
Perrineau filed a police report in Los Angeles but Dunham defended her co-worker and friend. Here is a complete timeline of the initial backlash, the fallout, and where we are today, including Harold Perrineau’s very public response to Harris’ latest tweet.
The initial backlash
In 2017, Dunham tweeted, “I believe in a lot of things but the first tenet of my politics is to hold up the people who have held me up, who have filled my world with love.”
In a joint statement with Girls co-showrunner Jenni Konner, Dunham shared she was “thrilled to see so many women’s voices heard and dark experiences in this industry justified,” but insisted they were “taking down the wrong targets.”
The statement goes on to detail that Dunham “had insider knowledge” calling the situation “an example of “one of the 3% of assault cases that are misreported every year.”
Dunham publicly apologizes, while still supporting Miller
Twitter users were outraged by Dunham’s comments and she subsequently issued an official apology, also via Twitter. In her tweet, she said, “I naively believed it was important to share my perspective on my friend’s situation as it has transpired behind the scenes over the last few months. I now understand that it was absolutely the wrong time to come forward with such a statement and I am so sorry.”
Jeremy O. Harris tweets about ‘Girls’
Now, years later, the controversy is back in the headlines. Quoting a tweet praising the dialogue in Girls on Tuesday, playwright Harris, who wrote the controversial, multiple Tony Award-nominated “Slave Play,” wrote a now-viral tweet about the show and its legacy.
He wrote on Tuesday, “Y’all sit on Rihanna’s internet & talk about my good sis @lenadunham like she didn’t set the trend for a full decade of television & body every imitator that came after her by writing 3 of top 20 best tv eps this decade. She’s human & made mistakes, but the pen is undeniable.”
The tweet immediately gained significant traction on the Internet, as Dunham’s name once again rose to the top of the site’s trending topics. With over 1,000 retweets, many people began calling out Harris, including activist April Reign, who tweeted, “Did any of those episodes have POC in them? I’m glad you were encouraged to write, but dismissing the harm she’s caused (on the page and off) as “human who makes mistakes” goes beyond the pale.”
Harold Perrineau responds
After Harris’ tweet went viral, Harold Perrineau clapped back at Harris, detailing an alleged account of an interaction he previously had with the writer.
He wrote in the tweet, “@jeremyoharris Shut your F-CKING MOUTH! After introducing 2 teenage girls to 35 year old Murray Miller and lying right to my face that night?! Nobody wants to hear from you!!! The safety of Black women has NEVER been important to you!”
In 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office declined to file charges against Miller.
Per a report from The Wrap at the time, “Prosecutors said the three-year statute of limitations has expired on statutory rape, and declined to prosecute on another charge, rape of an unconscious victim, citing “inconsistencies and the delay in reporting.”
Aurora Perrineau’s lawyer said then that his client stood by the allegations and that her story remained “credible and consistent” throughout the ordeal.
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