Zara Phythian, who played a role in 2016's Doctor Strange, is currently on trial for accusations of grooming and sexually abusing a child.
According to Newsweek and the BBC, a woman accused the 36-year-old Phythian and her 59-year-old husband, Victor Marke, of sexually abusing her between 2005 and 2008. During that period, when the woman was between the ages of 13 and 15 years old, she alleges the couple gave her alcohol to drink and then Phythian dared her to have oral sex with Marke. He then had sex with both the complainant and Phythian. The accuser says Marke later threatened to physically hurt her if she revealed the abuse to anyone, saying he'd smash her kneecaps. She additionally claims he said no one would believe her if she told them.
Phythian is also accused of having "coached" the complainant on sexual activity and estimates she and Marke had sex approximately 20 times during that period. The complainant also claims Marke and Phythian filmed the abuse.
"I knew it was wrong but I just didn't know how to get out of the situation or say anything," the complainant said. However, she notes she looked up to Phythian, a martial arts instructor, at the time. She continued, "I remember trying to copy Zara's reaction at the time because I looked up to her and tried to be like her in every way."
Phythian and Marke are facing 14 charges of sexual activity with a child, accusations the pair are denying.
Additionally, Marke is facing four charges of indecently assaulting a child resulting from complaints from another woman. That abuse allegedly took place between 2002 and 2003 when the accuser was 15-years-old. At that time, Marke was married to another woman. However, their marriage allegedly ended due to Marke having an affair with Phythian, who is said to have been a teenager at the time. Marke has also denied those accusations as well.
Phythian played Brunette Zealot in Doctor Strange. Her character followed Mads Mikkelsen's Kaecilius, the film's main villain. Outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phythian has had roles in a variety of projects, including 2019's Transit 17 and 2020's Tribal Get Out Alive. Phythian's IMDb page lists her as currently filming two projects: Unit 19 and Martial Art Roadshow.
The trial is currently taking place in Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness arrives in theaters May 6.
Source: Newsweek; BBC