James Van Der Beek’s ‘ass grabbed by older, powerful men’

Actor James Van Der Beek is the latest Hollywood big name – and the second prominent male actor – to reveal that he, too, was groped by more than one movie executive when he was just starting out, it was revealed on Thursday.

The former Dawson’s Creek star tweeted early Thursday morning that he has ‘had [his] ass grabbed by older, powerful men.’

He said he empathized with women who hesitated for years to go public with allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who now stands accused of harassing or raping nearly two dozen actresses.

‘I’ve had them corner me in inappropriate sexual conversations when I was much younger,’ the 40-year-old Van Der Beek tweeted on Thursday.

‘I understand the unwarranted shame, powerlessness, and inability to blow the whistle,’ Van Der Beek tweeted.

‘There’s a power dynamic that feels impossible to overcome.’

The former Dawson’s Creek star tweeted early Thursday morning that he has ‘had [his] ass grabbed by older, powerful men’

Van Der Beek gained national fame in the late 1990s, when he starred as the lead in the WB network’s teen cult hit Dawson’s Creek.

The much-loved show also helped ignite the careers of Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams, during its successful six-season run, before it culminated in 2003. 

Van Der Beek’s stunning revelation was made nearly two days after another male star, Terry Crews, opened up on Twitter about how he was inappropriately grabbed by a ‘high-level Hollywood executive’ in front of his wife.

Fearing that retaliation would not only land him in jail but also destroy his career, the 6’3″, 240lb actor chose to stay silent – which he said is ‘par for the course when the predator has power and influence’.

‘This whole thing with Harvey Weinstein is giving me PTSD,’ Crews wrote on Twitter. ‘Why? Because this kind of thing happened to ME. ‘

Van Der Beek gained fame in the late 1990s, when he starred as the lead in the WB network’s teen cult hit Dawson’s Creek. The much-loved show also helped ignite the careers of Katie Holmes (far left), Joshua Jackson (far right) and Michelle Williams (second from right)

Crews, 49, said the incident occurred last year at a Hollywood event he was attending with his wife, Rebecca King-Crews, 51, when a ‘high-level Hollywood executive’ groped his privates.

‘Jumping back I said, “What are you doing?!”‘ he wrote. ‘My wife saw everything and we looked at him like he was crazy. He just grinned like a jerk.’

‘I was going to kick his ass right then,’ he continued, ‘but I thought twice about how the whole thing would appear.

‘”240 lbs. Black Man stomps out Hollywood Honcho” would be the headline the next day. Only I probably wouldn’t have been able to read it because I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL.

‘So we left.’

He said he spoke to all of their mutual working acquaintances about the incident, and that the mogul – who is not named in the story – called him to apologize.

But the executive never explained why he thought it was appropriate to grab Crews’ crotch, the actor said. And despite his mighty frame, Crews felt powerless to pursue it.

Van Der Beek’s stunning revelation was made nearly two days after another male star, Terry Crews, opened up on Twitter about how he was inappropriately grabbed by a ‘high-level Hollywood executive’ in front of his wife

‘I decided not to take it further because I didn’t want to be ostracized – par for the course when the predator has power and influence,’ he wrote.

‘Who’s going to believe you? (few) What are the repercussions? (many) Do you want to work again? (yes) Are you prepared to be ostracized? (no).’

Crews said that he let the matter go – and that he understands why many women, who don’t even have the advantage of physical strength, do the same.

Allegations against Harvey Weinstein by two dozen women has shone spotlight on the issue of sexual assault by Hollywood executives

‘I understand and empathize with those who have remained silent. But Harvey Weinstein is not the only perpetrator,’ he concluded.

‘Hollywood is not the only business where this happens, and to the casualties of this behavior – you are not alone.

‘Hopefully, me coming forward with my story will deter a predator and encourage someone who feels hopeless.’

The same day Crews told his story, more celebs came forward to accuse Weinstein of hurting them.

Gwyneth Paltrow said that Weinstein had harassed her in a hotel suite when she was 22, while Angelina Jolie claimed he did the same to her in another hotel room.

Meanwhile, Italian star Asia Argento told the New Yorker that Weinstein raped her in 1997 at a party hosted by Miramax; aspiring actress Lucia Evans and another unnamed woman said they had also been raped by him.

And Rosanna Arquette and Mira Sorvino said that their careers suffered after Weinstein forced himself upon them and they fought him off.

Weinstein’s wife, Georgina Chapman, announced on Tuesday that she is leaving him.

Weinstein himself has reportedly boarded a plane to Arizona to stay at a sex addiction clinic.