A new Netflix documentary has lifted the lid on the behaviour of Russell Brand, featuring disturbing claims from former girlfriends, resurfaced footage and accounts of how he allegedly treated women during his rise to fame.
Russell Brand: Open Secret, which landed on the streaming platform on Friday (November 13), charts the comedian's journey from television presenter and Hollywood actor to convicted sex offender.
Directed by Olivia Isaacs and produced by 72 Films, the documentary features interviews with people who knew and worked alongside Brand, as well as archive footage and testimony from women who have spoken out about their experiences.
Here are give of the most shocking moments from Russell Brand: Open Secret.
uncertain
give → lift → Brand
Former girlfriend alleges Brand raped her after refusing to wear a condom
asserted
Brand → allege → condom
A former partner, identified as Emily in the documentary, alleges Brand raped her after refusing to wear a condom.
asserted
Brand → identify → condom
She recalls him initially being playful, telling her he wanted to feel close to her, but says she insisted he use protection, particularly given what he had told her about his previous sexual encounters.
asserted
he → recall → encounters
She says his behaviour then changed, and she realised he was becoming serious about having sex without protection.
asserted
he → say → protection
"I said to him, 'No, Russell, please, let's just use protection.'
asserted
's → say → protection
I kept saying no.
asserted
I → keep → ?
I kept saying no.
asserted
I → keep → ?
I said, 'Stop, Russell.
asserted
I → say → ?
I begged him.
asserted
I → beg → him
I literally begged him," she said.
asserted
she → beg → him
Emily alleges she tried to kick him away, but he was too strong and pinned her hands behind her head before forcing himself on her.
Brand's lawyers acknowledged the documentary-makers' request for comment but did not respond directly to the allegations.
asserted
lawyers → allege → allegations
Brand has previously denied any non-consensual sexual acts.
asserted
Brand → deny → acts
Former girlfriend alleges Brand forced her to brush her teeth until her mouth bled
A woman who dated Brand for six months in 2007 alleges he was controlling and made her brush her teeth repeatedly until her gums bled.
asserted
gums → allege → teeth
Read More
Recalling his comments about having sex with strangers, she said: "Forcing sex with strangers doesn't mean anything.
asserted
Forcing → read → anything
He wanted me to taste anonymous.
asserted
me → want → ?
He didn't want me to be familiar to him.
asserted
me → want → him
And so he was asking me to brush my teeth, but it just was never enough.
asserted
it → ask → teeth
And so he's standing over me and I'm brushing and I'm brushing, and then I'm seeing my teeth bleeding."
asserted
teeth → stand → me
She became emotional while discussing the experience, pausing the interview to apologise before continuing with her account.
asserted
She → become → account
She also repeated an allegation that Brand sexually assaulted her in a hotel room after becoming jealous when she used her phone outside their room.
asserted
she → repeat → room
Brand's lawyers acknowledged the documentary-makers' request for comment but did not respond directly to the allegations.
asserted
lawyers → acknowledge → allegations
Resurfaced footage shows Brand joking about rape
Some of the documentary's most uncomfortable moments come from archive footage of Brand speaking publicly about his own behaviour.
The remark prompts a reaction from those around him.
asserted
remark → show → him
Other footage shows Brand describing himself as a "scumbag" and admitting he had done "nasty things" he was ashamed of.
asserted
he → show → things
Brand looked for women to sleep with in his comedy audiences
The documentary also explores how Brand's fame and access to audiences allegedly played a role in his relationships with women.
uncertain
fame → look → women
One revelation concerns claims that he would look out for women in the audience at his shows with the intention of sleeping with them.
uncertain
he → concern → them
The allegation raises questions about the power imbalance between a famous performer and members of the public who attended his shows.
asserted
who → raise → shows
Brand admitted to spitting in a woman's face in his own book
Another disturbing moment revisited in the documentary comes from Brand's own writing.
asserted
moment → admit → writing
In his book, the comedian describes spitting in a woman's face.
asserted
comedian → describe → face
In a resurfaced clip, Brand appears to acknowledge that his own writing portrays him in a negative light, saying: “That’s what I’ve realised now, is that a lot of this book makes me look bad.”
asserted
me → resurface → book
Speaking to someone in the audience, he then refers to an incident in which he was locked out of his flat, saying: “When I got locked out of my apartment?
asserted
I → speak → apartment
Yeah, that bit leads to me spitting in a prostitute’s face.”
asserted
me → lead → face
Russell Brand: Open Secret is available to stream on Netflix now.
asserted
Secret → stream → Netflix
The Aporia
.jpg?trim=37,1,83,0&auto=webp&quality=75&width=1200)
.jpg?trim=60,0,60,0&auto=webp&quality=75&width=1200)