Aziz Ansari Reflects on 2018 Sexual Misconduct Allegation in Rare Comments

Aziz Ansari is giving rare comments about the 2018 sexual-misconduct allegation against him.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter pegged to his movie Good Fortune, the actor and comedian reflected on how, back in January 2018, an anonymous woman who went on a date with him accused the comedian of sexual behavior she classified as assault but he called consensual.

Addressing the accusation directly in an interview for the first time, Ansari, 42, told THR, “I mean, I apologized to the person personally, right? When it happened.”

The Parks and Recreation alum also touched on what many assumed was a career hiatus for the actor at the time, explaining, “It wasn’t really a break, per se,” and pointing out his 2019 Netflix stand-up special Aziz Ansari: Right Now.

“I did that tour, and I wanted to address it in the special because people were curious about how I felt about the whole experience. So I felt like I had to talk about it in the special,” Ansari added.

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The accuser called the encounter “the worst night of my life” in an essay she wrote for Babe.net. The piece sparked a public conversation regarding the nuances of the #MeToo movement.

While he didn’t address the accuser directly in his Netflix special, Ansari admitted while onstage that he was still coming to terms with how he felt about the situation.

“It’s a tricky thing for me to answer, ’cause I’ve so many things in the last year or so,” he said. “There are times I felt scared. There are times I’ve felt humiliated. There are times I’ve embarrassed. And ultimately, I just felt terrible that this person felt this way.”

The Master of None star said he’d spent the last year working to “become a better person” and appreciating the impact the allegation had not only on himself but also those around him, noting a conversation in which a friend told him the story made him rethink every date he’s been on.

At the end of his show, Ansari admitted that he feared he would never return to the stage following the allegation. But after taking a moment of silence to show the crowd his appreciation, he said he’s gained a new outlook on life as a result.

“I saw the world where I don’t ever get to do this again. And it almost felt like I died. In a way, I did,” he said. “That old Aziz who said ‘Oh, treat yo’ self,’ whatever, he’s dead. But I’m glad, ’cause that guy was always looking forward at whatever was next.”

Ansari’s accuser was a 23-year-old Brooklyn photographer who went by the pseudonym “Grace” in the piece. In it, she claimed that she and Ansari went on a date after meeting at an Emmy Awards afterparty in September 2017 and exchanging phone numbers.

After sharing a meal, “Grace” said they returned to Ansari’s apartment, where she alleged that he behaved coercively and that several sexual acts occurred even though she was “physically giving off cues that [she] wasn’t interested.”

In response, the actor and comedian issued a statement confirming they went on a date and engaged in sexual activity, which he said “by all indications was completely consensual.”

“The next day, I got a text from her saying that although ‘it may have seemed okay,’ upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable,” Ansari continued. “It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.”

He added in the statement, “I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.