Thandie Newton has spoken out about her relationship with director John Duigan – who at 39 was 23 years her senior – admitting it was a ”profound learning curve”.
Thandie Newton says having an affair with a man 23 years her senior when she was just 16 made her a more “compassionate person”.
The ‘Retreat’ actress embarked on a relationship with director John Duigan during a trip to Australia and while she knows she did wrong, she is happy with the lessons in life it has taught her.
She said: “I have committed all that to pre-history. It was a profound learning curve. But also a fortunate one in many ways. Part of me feels grateful that I can now accept the difficulties that came with that situation and be a more compassionate person myself.”
Thandie – who is now happily married to director Ol Parker – insists the responsibility for the affair doesn’t fall with her.
She told InStyle magazine: “I didn’t make a mistake. Come on. Read between the lines. I wasn’t in the driving seat. I was a very shy, very sweet girl, not some barmy kid, suddenly let loose. I wasn’t in control of the situation.
“Would I have liked things to be different? Sure. But I can now value myself more for the way I got through it. I don’t see myself as a victim. I embrace the fact that I have survived that experience and it required me to have a significant breadth of understanding.”
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THANDIE NEWTON – THANDIE NEWTON MORE COMPASSIONATE AFTER AFFAIR