Another Katy Perry Groping Allegation Resurfaces After Ruby Rose Claim
A story told by Anna Kendrick more than a decade ago about Katy Perry touching her inappropriately at an industry event has resurfaced online, following fresh and graphic allegations of sexual assault made against Perry by Ruby Rose.
The renewed scrutiny comes after Rose, 40, publicly accused the singer, 41, of assaulting her in Melbourne, Australia, around 20 years ago, reigniting attention on Perry's past conduct and earlier claims made about her behavior.
Newsweek reached out to Kendrick, Perry and Rose for more comment via email.
Ruby Rose's Allegations Explained
The controversy erupted after Rose, an Australian actress best known for Orange Is the New Black and Batwoman, posted a series of comments on Meta-owned Threads, accusing Perry of sexually assaulting her at the Spice Market nightclub in Melbourne when Rose was in her twenties.
“Katy Perry sexual assaulted me at spice market nightclub in Melbourne,” Rose wrote on the platform on April 12, in response to a post by music outlet Complex. “Who gives a s*** what she thinks.”
Rose said that it had taken her nearly two decades to speak publicly about the alleged incident, citing emotional scars and trauma.
She expanded on her allegation in responses to fans, writing: “I'm now 40. It has taken almost 2 decades to say this publicly. Though I am so grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes.”
In another reply, Rose described the incident in graphic terms, claiming Perry “pulled her underwear to the side and rubbed her disgusting vagina on my face until my eyes snapped open and I projectile vomited on her.”
Rose said she later framed the story publicly as a “funny little drunk story” because she “didn't know how else to handle it.”
She added that she was “not interested in filing a police report,” writing: “You don't need people to believe you, you just need to get it out of your poor body, before it gives you cancer.”
In a follow-up comment under a different post, Rose added: “Correction, I went to the police to file 4 reports against 4 separate people. But was unsure of the statute of limitations. One was her, and due to her ‘high profile,’ I have to speak to a specialized department. They were not available yesterday which is good because it took several hours just to get through it all.”
How Katy Perry's Team Responded
Perry's representatives issued a strong denial following Rose’s posts. In a statement provided to Variety, her team said the allegations were “not only categorically false, they are dangerous reckless lies.”
The statement also claimed Rose has a “well-documented history of making serious public allegations on social media against various individuals,” which, Perry's team said, have “repeatedly been denied by those named.”
Rose responded to the public denial on Threads: “Well-documented history of now what? I have never, ever, made serious public allegations on social media like this.”
Old Accounts of Katy Perry's Behavior Are Resurfacing
As the claims spread rapidly across social media platforms, from Instagram to Reddit, attention has turned to a remark Kendrick made during a 2014 appearance on Conan.
During the interview, Kendrick joked that Perry had “finger-banged her cleavage” during what she described as a “weird night.” The comment was delivered lightly and drew laughter from the studio audience, but clips of the interview are now circulating widely online as viewers reassess the context.
The renewed focus also brings back a series of earlier allegations made against Perry during the height of the #MeToo movement.
In 2019, actor Josh Kloss, who appeared in Perry's “Teenage Dream” music video, accused her of verbal abuse on set and alleged she exposed his penis to her friends at a party without his consent. Days later, Georgian Russian television host Tina Kandelaki claimed Perry touched her inappropriately and tried to kiss her without consent at an industry event.
In 2018, while serving as a judge on American Idol, Perry kissed contestant Benjamin Glaze on the lips without warning after he said he had never been kissed. Glaze later said he did not consider it sexual harassment, but acknowledged the moment made him uncomfortable.
Perry largely avoided addressing the allegations directly at the time.
Over the weekend, she attended Coachella music festival with her boyfriend, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Their social-media posts at the event drew huge public attention.
Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our Al assistant, to help produce this story. Learn more about Martyn.
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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 3:05 AM.