Actress Evan Rachel Wood Faces Backlash for Calling Kobe Bryant a ‘Rapist’ Hours After His Death

Activist actress Evan Rachel Wood faced a backlash on Monday, after calling Kobe Bryant a “rapist” in the hours after the NBA star tragically died in a helicopter crash.

Wood was lambasted by fans who were aghast that she would bring up past accusations of rape lodged against the player just as the nation tries to come to terms with his death.

“What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe’s family. He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously,” Wood tweeted Sunday only hours after the media reported the player’s death.

The Westworld star was alluding to the accusation of rape that was pressed against Bryant 17 years ago.

Back in 2003, the NBA superstar was accused of rape by a 19-year-old hotel employee who said Bryant sexually assaulted her at The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Colorado. Bryant ultimately faced no prosecution when the case was dropped because police found the DNA of another man in the accuser’s underwear. A civil case dragged on until 2005 when the player settled for an undisclosed amount.

But fans were incensed that Wood used her note about the player’s death to dredge up the accusations against him. The liberal actress’s Twitter feed bristled with condemnation.

Cruise Ship Returns to Texas Port Shortly After Departure When Murder Victim Is Discovered On Board

Multiple Kennedy family members seek to join legal battle against Trump’s triumphal arch

10 Serial Killers Among Those Whose Sentences Were Commuted by Gavin Newsom

‘He blamed the Jews’: GOP congressman levels explosive accusation against JD Vance over election postmortem

Russia and Ukraine settle on large prisoner swap after no major developments from talks

Secretary Scott Bessent moved to military base over Iran threats and more top headlines

Slain New Jersey mom’s bedroom furniture removed by investigators months after unsolved stabbing

FIRST ON FOX: Supreme Court justices confront what it will take to keep America’s founding freedoms alive

Senate Republicans plan 54-day blitz to push Trump’s agenda before Democrats seize power

Did the blue wave leave Gavin Newsom behind?

South Yemeni leaders to US: Cut your losses in Yemen and support an independent south

UN denies working with Hamas-loving Gaza ‘aid’ group funded by American Marxist

NYC man accused of 3 Central Park rapes arrested at Miami Burger King

Multiple dead after vehicle crashes into food stand near North Hollywood Metro station

Mullin vows ‘zero change’ on immigration after Republicans suffer crushing midterm losses

In fact, the condemnation became so heavy, by Monday afternoon Wood put her account on “protected” status so that people not already followed by the actress can no longer see them.

Despite, the move to hide her tweets, multiple outlets had already reported on the opposition she faced over her tweet.

Page Six, for instance, noted that Twitter user Catherine (Kathleen) Curtin scolded the actress, writing, “And this is where the MeToo movement has gotten out of control… attacking a man who literally just died less than 24 hours ago, with his little girl!”

Twitter user Wes Hatton, accused Wood of turning #MeToo into a joke, adding, “These things need to be taken seriously and your [sic] just looking for attention after him, and his daughter JUST died. Wow.”

Actress Kyla Pratt noted that she loves Wood’s work but slammed her for the tweet. “But this tweet? How f–king dare you?” she wrote.

For her part, Wood tried to take a step back and explain her original message

“Beloveds,” she wrote in explanation, “this was not a condemnation or a celebration. It was a reminder that everyone will have different feelings, and there is room for us all to grieve together instead of fighting, everyone has lost.”