Outer Banks star Rudy Pankow is opening up about speaking up and protecting his girlfriend, Elaine Siemek, against social media vitriol.
In a new interview with Cosmopolitan tied to the premiere of Outer Banks season 4, Rudy Pankow took the chance to briefly discuss his personal life, reminiscing about having to stand up for Siemek when the couple first became public about their relationship.
"I think a lot of people can intertwine a narrative and what they want to believe. And they take it out on someone that doesn't deserve it," Pankow recalled about having to defend Siemek from haters a few years ago. “That's unfortunate and it's hard.” Pankow continued by saying that "what's even more unfortunate" is the fact that "it's not in [his] control."
"That's why I spoke up — no one should go through something like that," he added. "And that's why social media is so tricky, because sometimes it can enforce a narrative of a show as an actual narrative. For example, what we're recording is meant to be consumed in the show. But some people might take it as literal."
Rudy Pankow and Elaine Siemek, who have been dating since 2021, met on the set of Outer Banks. Pankow took to his social media to call out trolls coming for Siemek in August of that year.
"I'm here to call out the disrespect and harassment someone who I love dearly is getting on a daily basis," he wrote, posting a photo of the two.
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“It has gotten to the degree where lies are being spread and accusations are being said that go beyond the normal ‘hate,’” he continued. "Not only is she not what she is being accused of being, she is the complete opposite and actively is so. Accusing someone you don't know of being abusive and manipulative is not ok, especially when you don't know the relationship personally."
Speaking to Cosmo, Pankow admitted he doesn't regret his statement at all, as it made a difference. "There were some folks that truly did hear it, and that is great," he said. "Then there's a part of me that was like, What do I truly care about? And that's how I led my life after that."
