Actress Elizabeth Hurley has been blindsided by allegations of sexual misconduct against the creator of her hit TV series The Royals.
The British star, who portrays Queen Helena Henstridge on the show, has stepped forward to support her onscreen daughter Alexandra Parks hours after the young actress released a damning statement, accusing Mark Schwahn of "reprehensible behavior" on set.
“I was immensely saddened to read Alexandra’s Park’s statement about Mark Schwahn,” Hurley writes in a note posted to her Twitter account. “I have loved working alongside Alexandra and Mark for four years while shooting The Royals, and had absolutely no idea that she was feeling frightened and sexually intimidated by Mark during this time.
"I have never thought of myself as unobservant, in fact quite the opposite, but I missed this and feel like I have let down a younger cast member. I could have helped her. I would have helped her. But I didn’t know.”
The 52-year-old went on to confess she had exchanged sexual jokes with Schwahn on set, but she did not suspect misconduct.
“Yes, he flirts and tells risque jokes - but so do I," the British actress and model adds. "To hear that there was more than this is a shocking surprise.”
Hurley vows to do more in the future to ensure all of her colleagues feel safe in their work environment.
"I didn't see it (the alleged abuse) but will support anyone who is being treated unfairly and do anything I can to ensure any workplace is a safe one," she shares. "I may have failed Alexandra but it won't happen again on my watch."
Hurley made her remarks on the same day 25 female cast and crew members from The Royals banded together to sign a joint statement accusing Schwahn of sexual harassment.
Signing off the the document as 'The Ladies of The Royals', the colleagues alleged Mark made "repeated unwanted sexual harassment of multiple female members of cast and crew" throughout the production.
Schwahn has been suspended from The Royals as investigations into his alleged sexual misconduct continue.
Shooting wrapped on season four of the show in September (17), and there's no word on when or if season five will air.
Actresses Sophie Bush and Hilarie Burton were among the women who sparked the scandal surrounding Schwahn when they signed an open letter condemning him for his behaviour on the set of One Tree Hill, another show he helped create.
Show writer Audrey Wauchope hit headlines over the weekend (11-12Nov17) when she tweeted about the harassment she had experienced on the set, without naming Schwahn. In her messages, she accused the showrunner of inappropriately touching her, making inappropriate comments and even allegedly showing off nude pictures of his actress girlfriend.
In their letter, Sophia, Hilarie and castmate Bethany Joy Lenz accused Schwahn of treating them in ways that were "traumatising" and "downright illegal".
The letter was signed by 12 actresses on the show, including Jana Kramer and Danneel Harris, and six crew members, including Wauchope.
