Avengers: Doomsday Star Takes Fierce Stance After Gruesome Cornell Incident

Florence Pugh is demanding accountability after the disturbing s*xual assault allegations against seven Cornell University students came to light through a civil lawsuit. In particular, Pugh, who is set to return as Yelena Belova in Marvel’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, has condemned the college’s handling of the situation.

In a lengthy Instagram post, she shared a full letter, accusing the school authorities of “protecting” the men accused of r*ping a former student. “After reading about the young woman who was gang r*ped at her college by her friend and school peers, I’m feeling uneasy and sick and anxious. I’m processing quietly and watching everything and everyone and every man,” she wrote.

Pugh asked men to feel “horrified” about these allegations and promptly speak up, so the woman can get some justice.

Florence Pugh Demands Accountability After Disturbing Cornell Allegations

Florence Pugh in Thunderbolts* | Credit: Marvel Studios

Pugh posted the letter with the caption, “This is a human issue, not a women’s issue. We are all involved. Men especially.” In her statement, she called on men, writing,

This is really the moment where we need our men to be as horrified and as sickened as us.

“You need to be leading conversations about how we change the allowance and complicity of this behaviour as much as we are. How can you expect us to trust that it’s ‘not all men’ when in moments like this, many of you stay quiet?” she questioned.

For the unversed, the Cornell Daily Sun appears to be the first outlet to break the news of a civil lawsuit from a former Cornell student. According to the report, the unidentified woman, Jane Doe, sued the school and seven Chi Phi fraternity members. She accused the university and fraternity of failing to protect her and prevent the alleged s*xual assault. She alleged that the incident occurred in 2024 when she visited the frat house in an intoxicated state. Jane Doe claimed that two male students pressured her into taking a substance they claimed was ketamine before she was assaulted. In her lawsuit, the woman alleged that she was gang-r*ped for hours by seven men.

According to the plaintiff’s attorney (via CBS News), the university investigation into the matter ended with only two of the seven accused Chi Phi members being expelled, while the others allegedly received lesser sanctions such as workshops, suspensions, and essays.

Florence Pugh particularly condemned the authority in her letter, writing, “This is a killing of a soul. Destroying of a body and killing of a soul. And they’ve been let off? All it takes is write a quick ‘I’m so sorry I r-ped a girl while she was drugged with my friends, we thought it would be fine?’ essay and you’re good to go! This is unacceptable.”

Pugh noted that every single person who knew or heard about this incident should be held accountable. She lamented that there can be no equality until incidents like this keep happening without repercussions. Read her full statement on Instagram.