trouble | dominic sherwood

xxxxix. coming clean

Tara Sparks Comes Clean
By: Alice Young

When Tara Sparks reached out to me for an interview, I was ecstatic. Not only have I followed her for years, I'm a huge fan of her mom's. She offered me an exclusive interview because of the fact that I started this magazine to help spread awareness and truth, not gossip and lies and, excuse my language, bullshit. So I agreed and she offered me access to the Shadowhunters set so that we could conduct our interview. We ended up sitting at the table in her boyfriend Dominic Sherwood's trailer, her puppy and his dog at our feet and smoothies for the both of us.

Alice Young: So, you're here on set of Shadowhunters but you're not acting?

Tara Sparks: No, definitely not. I have thought about acting, but I haven't ever pursued it and I probably won't. What I did need was a break from all the Hollywood bull and Dom offered to let me stay with him here, away from all of that.

AY: Is there something in particular you wanted to get away from in the business?

TS: It's no secret that I used drugs sometimes and partied a lot in general. So that was a scene that I was trying to remove myself from.

AY: Are you still doing drugs?

TS: No. Definitely not. And I also quit drinking. I even hung out with the cast and they all had a beer, but I stuck with my pineapple Fanta, which I now have an unhealthy obsession with.

AY: Did you quit for Dominic?

TS: [shook her head] I quit for myself. The amount of drugs and partying put me in a place where something bad could have happened to me. And it did.

AY: Can I ask what happened?

TS: Of course. I'm coming clean and this is an exclusive. After my mother's movie premier in New York, a girl was drugged and almost raped. And that girl was me.

AY: Oh my God. What happened?

TS: My agent booked me a photo shoot the same day as the premier on accident, so I called to cancel. My mom invited Michael to the premier and after party that she was hosting at the hotel. I didn't tell her not to, thinking he wouldn't show up. He, of course, came. And I had decided not to drink much that night, honestly. I had decided to quit drinking and doing drugs in general, actually.

But later on during the night, he came to talk to me for a bit. I was still nursing the same drink that I got when I had gotten to,the party, having needed something to soothe my nerves after the red carpet event. He at some point slipped Rohypnol into my drink, drugging me and causing me to lose consciousness. In a private room, where he was beginning to take advantage of me, a drunk couple stumbled in and found us. They called the police, who then arrested Michael Quinn. I was taken to the hospital and my emergency contact was called and he only called one person, so only two people knew about it for a short time period.

AY: So, what, are you doing now to help cope with that?

TS: I'm actually going to therapy. I know that that's not something a lot of people would own up to, but it has helped me with a lot. Not just the attempted rape, but also the drug use and some of the issues I had with my mother. I'm far from normal and okay, but I'm getting there and I'm surrounded by people who support me.

AY: Like Dominic Sherwood?

TS: [blushes] Yes. Dom is definitely one of them. He is my first, and I hope to God my last, love. He's been a spectacular pillar of strength for me through all of this crazy stuff. I know this is cliché, but I have no idea where I'd be without him. Probably sleeping on Taylor Kitsch's couch and avoiding the world.

AY: You guys met on Instagram, correct?

TS: Yeah. We both like the same café and we just kind of... clicked, I guess. It didn't take long until we were talking on the phone almost every day and he had a groupchat with my two best friends, Katie Calvin and Kendall James.

AY: With you in it?

TS: [laughs] No! They made a groupchat with just the three of them in it.

AY: [chuckles] So all your friends approve of him?

TS: Yeah. Everyone from Kendall and Katie to Taylor and Scott to my mom and therapist. They all approve of him and it's kind of amazing.

AY: I'm glad. So what are your future plans?

TS: After they wrap season two, Dom and I are heading back to L.A. for a little bit. We're going to spend time with Kendall and Katie and my mom. Then, we're heading to England for a bit so he can show me around and I can meet his family. After that, I don't really have any plans. Well, I actually might have one.

AY: What is it?

TS: That's a secret I'll never tell. [whispers] XOXO Gossip Girl. Anyways, back to being serious here, it's something I want to keep under the wraps for a little while, but it's something that I've started working on and I can't wait to reveal to the public.

AY: That's all the questions I have for you today. Is there anything you want to add?

TS: You are more than what you've been through. You're more than your assault, more than the words people throw at you, more than the mistakes you've made. Don't let them win, please. Become the person you should be in spite of what everyone thinks and because they're all wrong. And love yourselves, treat yourselves with the utmost respect. And remember, there's someone who cares about you and is always there to listen. Okay, I'm done.

AY: Thank you so much for this.

TS: No, thank you.

Even after finishing the interview, she offered to show me around set and introduce me to the cast and crew. I even got to sit in and watch Dominic Sherwood film a very emotional scene. Partway through, I glanced at Tara and her love for him was written on her face. Despite what the media has said about her and what trauma she's been through, Tara Sparks is one of the strongest and loving people I've ever met. The world needs more women like her. | A.Y.

•••

while writing this, i realize how much i actually hate writing the interviews unless they're actually needed, so this is probably my last one for awhile.

count | the epilogue

[ 1.9.18 ]