Actor Anthony Edwards came forward Friday, claiming in an essay that he was molested by director and producer Gary Goddard when he was a child.
“I met Goddard when I was 12, and he quickly became a dominant force in my life,” the “ER” actor wrote in a Medium post. “He taught me about the value of acting, respect for friendship, and the importance of studying. Pedophiles prey on the weak.”
Edwards said he grew up with an emotionally unavailable dad — and Goddard, whom he and four other pals looked up to as a father figure, exploited his “vulnerability.”
“I was molested by Goddard, my best friend was raped by him — and this went on for years,” he wrote. “The group of us, the gang, stayed quiet.”
The actor said he ran into Goddard, who directed the live-action movie “Masters of the Universe,” at an airport 22 years ago and confronted him about the alleged abuse.
“He swore to his remorse and said that he had gotten help,” Edwards wrote. “I felt a temporary sense of relief. I say temporary because when Goddard appeared in the press four years ago for alleged sexual abuse, my rage resurfaced.”
In 2014, Mike Egan III, a former child model, filed sexual abuse lawsuits against Goddard and “X-Men” director Bryan Singer — but later withdrew the suits.
“At 51 years old, I was directed by a group of loving friends to a therapist who specializes in this kind of abuse,” Edwards, now 55, wrote. “I’ve learned a lot in these last four years. Most importantly, I’ve learned that I’m not alone.”
Later on Friday, a rep for Goddard told Deadline,“I can unequivocally deny [the allegations] on Gary’s behalf. Gary played an important role in helping start Anthony’s acting career and acted as his personal manager. He has nothing but the greatest respect for Anthony as a person. Gary is saddened by the false allegations.”