01-05-2025
Russell Brand's Ex-Roommate Says Disgraced Actor Had Different ‘Personality' Take Over When He Did ‘Something Wrong': 'The Eyes Go Dead'
Russell Brand's former roommate believes the disgraced actor and comedian — who is currently facing sex offense charges — had a 'different personality' take over when he did 'something wrong.'
In this week's IMPACT x Nightline episode on Brand's troubled rise to fame and sexual assault allegations, his former roommate sits down with ABC News' Juju Chang for an exclusive interview.
Mark Pinheiro says he 'wasn't surprised' after the news broke in April of Brand being charged with five counts of assault and rape in the U.K. and recalls what it was like living with Brand in London before he made his name in Hollywood.
'If Russell knows he's doing something wrong, something naughty, something illegal, whatever it might be, if you challenge him about it afterwards, this personality would take over, the eyes go dead, the voice goes monotone,' Pinheiro says.
Related: What Has Russell Brand Been Accused Of? His Sexual Assault Accusations and Charges, Explained
He adds, 'So, it was never him that was doing it, it was this personality that would take over and that's the person that would be doing these things.'
Brand, 49, was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service on April 4 with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape and two counts of sexual assault stemming from allegations from four anonymous women. The alleged incidents occurred between 1999 and 2005. He has denied the allegations.
In a video posted on X last month, he admitted to living a life of debauchery as a younger man, but maintains he never raped anyone.
Related: Russell Brand Admits He Was 'Sex Addict' and 'Imbecile' But Denies Rape Allegations
"I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord," Brand said. "I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was was a rapist."
Brand will appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, May 2 to answer to the sex offense charges, police have said.
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He was first accused of sexual assault in September 2023 when five women spoke about their alleged experiences in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 current affairs show Dispatches.
The accusations prompted the Metropolitan Police to conduct an investigation into Brand, culminating in charges being filed against him.
ABC News' IMPACT x Nightline: 'Sex, Drugs & Fame: The Russell Brand Story" began streaming May 1 on Hulu.
Read the original article on People
