Carol Drinkwater, an actor turned author, has revealed that she was sexually assaulted by a famous director, who is now deceased, when she was in her twenties.

In an emotional Facebook post, she wrote that she was “very badly damaged” and lost a significant role because she refused to sleep with the director. The assault took her years to overcome.

The Facebook post marks the first time she has publicly mentioned the assault, and she has not named the director.

Drinkwater’s latest novel, The Lost Girl, features a character named Marguerite who is raped by a famous director with a Greek-sounding surname.

The attack leaves Marguerite permanently damaged. In the novel, Marguerite remarks that if a director behaved in such a way towards a young actress today, the actress would take legal action.

However, Drinkwater believes that shame and secrecy are still prevalent in the film industry, as evidenced by the recent revelations about Harvey Weinstein, and that is why she has finally decided to speak out.

Drinkwater was invited to audition for a significant Hollywood film shortly after completing drama school.

She had only one minor film role at that point, as a nurse in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange.

She rejected the advances of the famous director during the audition process, resulting in the loss of the lead role.

Drinkwater stated that she felt guilt and shame for a long time, believing that she had “let herself down and was not good enough.”

Drinkwater’s Facebook post, which has received over a thousand supportive comments, has opened up a dialogue about sexual assault and the culture of silence surrounding it.

Drinkwater herself feels a sense of relief and liberation from having shared her story. “It’s like releasing a huge boulder from my chest,” she said.

Drinkwater has written several books, including a memoir about her experience restoring a Provencal olive farm, and has acted in many television shows and films.

She is best known for her role as Helen Herriot in the BBC adaptation of James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small.

The Me Too movement, which began in 2017, encouraged people to speak out about sexual harassment and assault in various industries, including entertainment.

Since then, numerous allegations have been made against high-profile individuals, leading to many criminal trials and convictions.

In Hollywood, the Weinstein scandal was a turning point, with many actors and actresses speaking out about their experiences of harassment and assault.

The revelations also led to the creation of Time’s Up, an organization that aims to end sexual harassment and inequality in the workplace.

Drinkwater’s story is a reminder that sexual assault and harassment are still prevalent in the entertainment industry and that more needs to be done to protect vulnerable individuals.

The culture of silence that has surrounded these issues for so long is slowly being eroded, but progress is slow.

It is difficult for victims of sexual assault to come forward and speak about their experiences, particularly when the perpetrator is a powerful individual in their industry.

Drinkwater’s courage in speaking out may encourage others to do the same, leading to greater accountability and change in the entertainment industry and beyond.

Drinkwater’s latest novel, The Lost Girl, is a work of fiction but draws on her own experiences of assault and the long-term impact it can have on an individual.

The novel has been well-received by critics and readers alike, with many praising Drinkwater’s honesty and bravery in tackling such a sensitive topic.