Dating someone in the public eye apparently comes at a price.
Rudy Pankow of Netflix’s hit show “Outer Banks” is speaking up for his girlfriend, Elaine Siemek, after he said internet trolls “harassed” her on a “daily basis.”
“Unfortunately I’m here to call out the disrespect and harassment someone who I love dearly is getting on a daily basis,” Pankow captioned a picture of Seimek on his shoulders on Instagram Friday. “It has gotten to the degree where lies are being spread and accusations are being said that go beyond the normal ‘hate.'”
The actor, 22, went on to claim that cyberbullies accused his significant other of being “abusive and manipulative,” which he said is “not ok, especially when you don’t know the relationship personally.”
“I’m very happy in the relationship I’m in,” Pankow insisted. “I know I might not actively show it on social platforms just how happy we are together, but this is my personal decision to keep most of those moments for myself.”
He then urged those “creating such displeasure and opinions about the one I love and my relationship” to stop.
“In this era of social engagement and enlightenment I want to express the importance to spread positivity and needing to know when it is unfair to express your own distaste for something or someone, especially when you can do it behind an anonymous identity,” the Netflix star concluded.
“I was always told the best version of yourself is your most humbled self… I make this statement as my most humbled self and would be so grateful if we all would move forward in positivity and respect.”
Siemek, who works as a photographer, has a public Instagram profile.
In July, she posted a slideshow with Pankow from their trip to Hawaii and captioned it, “It doesn’t get better than this.”
However, contrary to Pankow’s claims, the comments appeared very supportive, with one person writing, “Couple goals if I’ve ever seen em” and another saying, “So happy for you guys! may this love be always like this, pure and magical!”
It is unclear if the online “harassment” and “disrespect” took place in Siemek’s private messages or if she deleted negative comments.
On Pankow’s Instagram, several friends and fans praised the actor for defending his girlfriend.
Charles Esten, who plays Ward Cameron in “Outer Banks,” wrote, “We’ll said, my friend. All the love and light you deserve to you both!”
Actor Michael Provost added, “Goodman [sic] standing up for a great woman. Get positive or get out – we’re try’n to do cool things in here.”