Yesterday, we discussed Daniel Franzese’s Facebook post about Bijou Phillips. Daniel is an actor who has been working for two decades, and he appeared in Bully with Bijou. He claims that when they were filming (circa 2000), Bijou was a homophobic bully and general a–hole who constantly made fun of him and even kicked him in the head one time. Well, Daniel posted his story over the weekend, and to her credit, Bijou responded pretty quickly. She apparently reached out to Daniel privately and she also dropped an email to TMZ to issue a public apology:
Bijou tells TMZ, “I want to write to address what Daniel has said. I don’t remember that time well, those years are a blur. I was a teenager and reckless in my behavior. I know Daniel to be a trustworthy and honest person, and to find out through social media that I was not the friend I thought I was to him made me so sad.”
Bijou goes on … “I am so mortified by this behavior and have contacted Daniel and apologized to him privately. I am not and never have been homophobic. I have nothing but love for the LGBTQ community and Daniel.”
The thing is, I would be willing to believe that Bijou was probably heavily into drugs at that point in her life, and that could be affecting her memories of that time. I like that she says that she trusts Daniel’s memory and his version of events, rather than trying to deny or negate his story. That being said, the bar is set so low. “I am not and never have been homophobic.” Girl, you clearly were.
Anyway, Daniel has accepted her apology and he made a statement on Twitter, writing:
Thread: I forgive @BijouPhillips because I don’t know her private story either. I shared this story only to bring light to a dark memory. It was 18 years ago. She has sent me an apology I accept. It would be nice to see her make a donation to @TrevorProject or something. This is not the only tale of horror or horrible people I have been around in the film industry.
I’m not a perfect person by any means but I always try to treat people with respect. Especially as an adult. Hopefully we can move forward into a future where film sets are a more professional environment. The movie BULLY in particular was a volatile set. Brad Renfro was arrested for stealing a boat the day before we started shooting the film. 18 years ago is a long time and I’d like to think she has found peace in her life. I certainly have. These experiences shape us. These days my belly sees the sun at the beach and I can honestly say (especially now that it’s been heard) I see the sun too. We’ve all been hurt and we’ve all hurt someone. I accept your apology on the grace you can afford the same mercy to someone else one day.
That’s a lovely sentiment – it must be a nice moment for him to get closure on at one thing in his past which has always bugged him, and like so many victims, his forgiveness is more for his own peace of mind than Bijou’s. Does this mean that all is truly forgiven? Probably not. But he’s moving on. Good for him.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
What a gracious and generous man. YOU GO GLEN COCO
Yes!
For me Mean Girls (of which I am a shameless fan and frequently quote) has always been about the supporting character performances-really great acting!
Her Husband is the rapist Danny Masterson non?
Yes. So when i read the accuser’s account, i felt a question was answered about her relationship with Danny Masterson besides both being C0$. Garbage, homophobic, bullying people together.
Funny, when I started reading random rumors about Masterson (not the sexual assault ones, just drug dealing and a-hole) it answered the question of why he’s with someone as awful as Bijou.
Bridget would you tell us more about the rumors you’ve heard? I’m particularly curious about the drug dealing thing. I have this theory that the scientologists aiming to recruit young Hollywood wannabes have a well crafted system to lure them with drugs, sex and debauchery only to propose the church and its treatments and courses and rehab programs as the solution. They provide both the problem and the “solution”.
Both Masterson and Phillips were fixtures on the party scene. Word (and sadly, it’s been a while so I can’t source you) was that post 70s Show Masterson made his income by selling drugs. Which makes sense – he’s super connected to that party scene.
Phillips on the other hand, is just awful. Out of control party girl who felt that her dad’s fame entitled her to treat everyone like garbage. Just a truly awful person.
And her father was the (incestuous) rapist John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas (victim her sister Mackenzie Phillips who then went on to have a “consensual” relationship with him)– the definition of messy, y’all, and so sad. Just bringing it up as in, you know, issues… people with issues… I find the whole thing sad. Bijou may really be sorry of course. And I find Daniel’s grace and mercy beautiful. Class act.
On a side note: For a long time I confused Bijou Phillips and Busy Phillips. I thought they were the same person. I only knew Bijou as a teenage model (and I never paid enough attention to her to even know what she looked like) and then she disappeared off my radar, so when Busy appeared, I thought “Busy” was a nickname for Bijou. I don’t know why I assumed that. It was so dumb of me. Then Bijou reappeared for me, and I was like, Ohhhh! Busy is someone else. Well, I like Busy, anyhow.
I always confused them too, I thought Busy was part of the famous Phillip family.
That is a messy, messy family, and I can see how she didn’t have the best life growing up, but there are no excuses for hurting others. I’m glad she apologized and he accepted.
Now she needs to ditch her husband.
Yes, her Husband IS the rapist Danny Masterson! The cult of $cientology has ALL of the coolest kids!
I love the last part – I accept your apology on the grace you can afford the same mercy to someone else someday. There’s a poetry to it and the sentiment is beautiful. Perfect response.
Those apologies filled with surprise, like I am so surprised and disturbed someone got hurt by my actions or my attitudes are a testiment how most people lack self-reflection and empathy.
Ugh, 100% true.
He seems like such a lovely human being! She is trash and he didn’t have to accept her apology, but he was gracious enough to do so. I hope she does actually donate to the Trevor Project but I doubt she will. Isn’t Scientology very, very homophobic?
This reminds me that I want to start donating to charity on a monthly basis and the Trevor Project would be a great one to add to my list. Thank you Daniel, know that even if she doesn’t donate, others are listening and helping!
Kicking someone in the head? My god, she sounds like an out of control monster.
I don’t even know who she is but her apology for harrassing Daniel with vicious words and actions sounds weak compared to the cruelty she unleashed upon him when they worked together.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
She hopes she doesn’t have to pay a compensation. She hopes she gets away without probation and without obligations for therapy etc.
Sorry, duped my comment by mistake…
I love that he wrote such a gracious, wonderful statement in return, but still referred to her as a horrible person in it. #TeamDaniel all the way, he seems like a good sort.
One of my exes worked on a James Toback film in the early 2000s and a lot of the crew had worked together before. There were some crazy stories on the set about Bijou’s behavior on Black & White. It was a long time ago so I don’t remember all the details, but the tone was definitely consistent with Daniel’s experience… confrontational, gross, totally absurd, mean-spirited, unacceptable. And involved her taking a sh-t on a paper plate and giving it to someone.
Whaaaaaat?? She sh!t on a paper plate and gave it to someone??? I shouldn’t be surprised. Like I said yesterday, she comes from a messed up family. Incest is about as bad as it gets. And with the Scieno cult, she definitely isn’t getting help for her issues because they don’t believe in that.
Is it true cocaine abuse blew out her kidneys? If so, she must have had a massive habit. She’s a regular cautionary tale these days.
It’s so great some low-level COS was there with a spare kidney, right?
A freakin’ miracle.
“Bijou Phillips- you never knew what the f**k she would say or do next. There is no line between her unconscious and her articulation of it and her behavior. She is a genuine psychopath. I say that with affection and admiration, because she’s also incredibly smart and talented, so she knows how to amuse and how to get and hold attention. If she were just a psychopath, you wouldn’t want to use her; you’d just be bored. But she is always amusing and interesting and, if one thing isn’t working, she has a good sense of it, and she just starts on something else” – James Toback
Well, I guess it takes one psychopath to recognize another.
Neena Zee, Did our exes work together?! I forgot about the paper plate.
Save it Bijou. Yawn, next.
He’s almost too great to function! 🙂
Lol Love it!
Yeah, she behaved so terribly for so long and, yet, she was surprised to learn that she wasn’t the friend to her victim that she thought she was. Ugh. UGH. Classic bully bulls**t. That was almost triggering for me; might need to go play with a puppy for awhile. Daniel was more than gracious in accepting that kind of apology.
i used to love her (embarrassing, i know). i went hard for her little music career lmao but i’m not surprised by any of this. her crew back in the day was nightmarish – paris, nicole, kim stewart, casey johnson (RIP), etc.
Ok, so who here has actually seen Bully? It’s so scarily easy to imagine the messes those Kids got into. Sorry for the Larry Clark pun.
Isn’t it a bit mean of HIM to point out about Brad Renfro’s arrest? That probably hasn’t been mentioned in the 18 years since … but there he goes. And Karma has repaid Bijou with that header photo. Sloppy mess.
Not in the the context it was made, I don’t think it was. He wasn’t trying to disbarage Brad’s memory, just using a prime example of how wreckless and out-of-control things were surrounding the film’s production. It sounds like it was all very toxic.