Jennifer An is speaking publicly about the 2010 music-video shoot at the center of her lawsuit against Kanye West.
An, a former America’s Next Top Model contestant, alleges that West choked and sexually assaulted her during a shoot connected to La Roux’s “In for the Kill” remix at the Chelsea Hotel in New York. In a new BBC interview, An said she was left feeling “suffocated, unsure and scared.”
West, who legally changed his name to Ye, has denied liability in the case. His legal team has argued that the alleged conduct happened during the production of expressive work and should be understood as part of a staged performance.
The lawsuit remains pending. An’s allegations have not been tested at trial.
An Filed the Lawsuit in 2024
An sued West in New York federal court in November 2024. Pitchfork reported that the complaint names West, Universal Music Group, and Stink Digital USA LLC and accuses them of violating New York’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act.
The complaint says An was cast as a background actor for the La Roux and West “In for the Kill” remix video. According to the lawsuit, West arrived on set, singled An out, and directed the camera crew to film a scene involving her. An alleges the scene became physically and sexually violent.
People previously reported that An is seeking a jury trial, punitive damages, legal fees, and compensation tied to alleged mental and physical harm. The outlet also reported that the final version of the music video does not feature West or An.
West’s Lawyers Have Asked the Court to Dismiss the Case
People reported in March that West’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. His legal team argued that the alleged behavior occurred while producing expressive art and should be protected in that context.
In a filing quoted by People, West’s side argued that the “emulation of sexual violence for artistic purposes” is not itself sexual violence and that physical contact in a staged performance does not automatically create liability. An’s side disputes that framing and says the alleged conduct was not scripted or consensual.
La Roux Was Cited in New Court Filings
“I could never forget that, it was horrific,” La Roux messaged model Jennifer An about her assault claims against Kanye West, according to new court documents.
More: https://t.co/U5QKZVh93w
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) March 10, 2026
The case drew renewed attention earlier this year after An submitted new filings that cited La Roux, whose real name is Elly Jackson. People reported that An included Instagram messages appearing to show Jackson backing parts of her account and describing the incident as “horrific.”
People also reported that An’s filing included a statement from makeup artist Liz Martins, who said she was present at the shoot. Martins claimed the alleged conduct was not part of the script and said people on set were shocked.
Vulture reported that court documents also described Jackson as saying West later pressured her to apologize after she spoke about upsetting behavior from the set.
The BBC Interview Adds An’s Own Account
In the BBC interview, An said she froze during the alleged incident and felt “suffocated, unsure and scared.” A BBC summary of the interview said West’s legal team has described the encounter as a “provocative theatrical performance.”
The case now turns on two sharply different accounts of the same shoot. An says the scene crossed into assault. West’s legal team argues that the alleged conduct belonged to an artistic performance and should not create liability.
No trial has resolved the claims.