Russell Brand Admits Past Relationship with 16-Year-Old

British comedian and actor Russell Brand admitted on Wednesday to having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl when he was 30 years old, describing the encounter as exploitative in hindsight due to a power imbalance stemming from his fame. The 50-year-old made the comments during an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, emphasizing that the age of consent in the United Kingdom is 16 and that the relationship was consensual and legal at the time.

Brand, known for roles in films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, reflected on his past behavior as part of a broader discussion about his life in the public eye. "I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30, but when I was 30 I was a very different person. I was a lot younger and I was an immature 30-year-old," he said. He acknowledged the inherent exploitation in such dynamics, stating, "Consensual sex, actually, with a variety of people when there is a strong power differential... I think involves exploitation. I think it is exploitative." Brand further owned up to his actions, adding, "I recognize that my sexual conduct in the past was selfish and I did not apply enough consideration, barely any I...