Hit TV Star Speaks Bravely Through Tears After Second Violent Attack This Year

Genevieve Chenneour is speaking out after facing another frightening attack in London. The actress, known for her role as Clara Livingston on Netflix’s hit period drama “Bridgerton,” shared an emotional Instagram Story on November 20 describing what happened. As per local London reports, she said a “full-grown adult” man assaulted her while she was on her way to an audition.

Chenneour Bravely Shares Second Public Attack

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“Guys, literally five minutes before my audition, I was walking around the corner at Oxford Circus and this guy just looks at me, and targets me, and hits me,” she said through tears, as reported by the London Evening Standard. “I’m like, against the wall, and I was right about to arrive for my audition. So I had to come in, and I’m trying to gather myself, but I’m so shaken.”

She added that the audition staff offered her a room upstairs to calm down. “So I’m just going to take, like, half an hour, I think. I keep on having panic attacks.”

Actress Shares Description of the Alleged Attacker

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In the caption of her video, Chenneour included a description of the man she said hit her. “He was about 50 years old, 6’3”, Black, wearing a coloured hat and black clothes.” The actress explained that the encounter left her shaken and struggling to continue her day.

At one point in the video, she rubbed her arm where she said he struck her. “I couldn’t walk anywhere. He was just looking at me and f hit me. I can feel where he hit me,” she said. “It’s like, just leave me alone.”

The Attack Comes Months After a Previous Violent Incident

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This is not the first time Chenneour has faced violence in London. Earlier this year, she confronted a thief who tried to steal her phone inside a coffee shop. Security footage obtained by the Daily Mail showed her grabbing the phone back before a scuffle broke out between the thief and several customers.

The incident happened on February 8, 2025. The 18-year-old suspect later pleaded guilty and, in July, was sentenced to 22 months in jail for common assault and multiple theft charges.

Afterward, Chenneour revealed she had suffered a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards. “I was left with a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards and since then, I’ve felt constantly on edge,” she said, according to the Daily Mail. She later moved out of London to stay with her mother and now relies on hotels when she returns to the city for work.

Chenneour Says She Was Regaining Confidence Before the New Attack

The actress said she had slowly begun rebuilding her confidence after the earlier assault and had even started considering a move back to London. In her video, she explained, “Obviously I had that phone attack happen to me, and it’s like, so nerve-racking for me being out in central London now. And I’d just got my confidence up and was looking at moving back.”

Chenneour said the new attack instantly brought back fear and panic. “He was just looking at me and f hit me,” she said. “It’s like, just leave me alone.”

Her emotional message struck a chord with viewers, who flooded her with support as she continues to navigate trauma, recovery, and the demands of her career.

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