Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning husband of Olympic diver Tom Daley, is set to face trial on August 8th for allegedly assaulting reality TV star Teddy Edwardes at Soho gay bar, Freedom. The incident occurred last August, and Black was charged with assault in February of this year. Edwardes claimed that Black threw a drink in her face after she asked someone else to leave her table.
Black, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009 for the film Milk, and Daley had been on a child-free date night after dinner and watching a drag show. According to a spokesperson for Black, a ‘punch’ to the back of his head left him with a ‘life-altering concussion.’ The spokesperson expressed surprise and sadness that the matter of a spilled drink was now being examined in a court of law, after the other person involved had taken responsibility for the alleged assault and expressed remorse.
Edwardes, who founded the girls-only club night LICK, said on social media that she had chosen violence after Black threw a drink in her face, and that he had cried outside the bar claiming he had been targeted in a traumatic attack. She also praised Daley for being lovely throughout and trying to defuse the situation.
The trial will focus on the alleged assault at the gay bar, which has drawn attention due to Black’s high profile and the involvement of a reality TV star. The incident has raised questions about violence in LGBTQ+ spaces, and the ongoing struggle for safe and inclusive spaces for the community. The outcome of the trial will be eagerly awaited by those interested in the intersection of celebrity, LGBTQ+ rights, and the justice system.