More than a decade after the alleged incident, actor and model Jennifer An has once again spoken publicly about her accusations against rapper Kanye West. The former America’s Next Top Model contestant recently detailed her experience from a 2010 music video shoot, revisiting claims that form the basis of a lawsuit she filed against the rapper in 2024.
Model sues Kanye West for sexual assault
According to An, the incident took place during the filming of the music video for La Roux’s song In for the Kill. Speaking on the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast, she recalled being seated in front of a camera without being given any clear instructions about what would happen next.
Describing the moment, An said, "He had me sit in the chair in front of the camera, and I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was given no direction."
She alleged that West suddenly approached her and began choking her before escalating the interaction further. "All of a sudden he just reaches a hand out and starts choking me... then he pulled his other hand out and starts choking me with both hands and then starts smearing my makeup all over my face and sticking his hands inside of my mouth, which simulated oral sex," she claimed.
An said the experience left her feeling powerless and overwhelmed. “I remember feeling so suffocated, unsure, scared,” she told the outlet.
The model, who was 24 years old at the time and relatively new to the entertainment industry, said she expected someone from the production team to intervene as the situation unfolded.
Instead, she alleges the scene continued uninterrupted. Recalling the encounter, An said West was standing extremely close to her and behaving in a way that made her uncomfortable. “I remember him looking at me, like really intensely, and licking his lips a lot,” she said.
She further alleged that after completing the sequence, West appeared pleased with the result and declared, “This is art! I’m Picasso.”
Conversation with La Roux's Elly Jackson
According to An, she later discussed the incident with La Roux frontwoman Elly Jackson, whose song was being filmed at the time. The model claimed she expressed concern about the footage potentially being released and worried about her family seeing it.
“And then I was like, ‘You’re not gonna air that, right? Like, you’re not gonna share that with anyone, because I can’t have my mum see that,’” An recalled. She said Jackson reassured her, responding, “No, of course not, I would never.”
The lawsuit against Kanye West
The allegations eventually became part of a lawsuit filed by An in 2024 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, according to NBC News.
In the complaint, An alleges that West unexpectedly assumed control of the production and directed attention toward her during filming. The lawsuit also claims he referred to her by saying, “Give me the Asian girl,” before selecting her for the scene. As per reports, the case has not yet gone to trial.
Ye's legal response
Earlier this year, West's legal team reportedly sought to have the lawsuit dismissed. While the defence does not deny that the filmed interaction took place, his lawyers have argued that the scene was part of what they described as an "intense and provocative theatrical performance."
According to court filings referenced in reports, the defence contends that the sequence was intended to recreate a moment inspired by the 2000 film American Psycho rather than constitute misconduct. The lawsuit remains ongoing, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
