I dont think that he is able to repair himself. Spouse/Ex-: Casper Van Dien (m. 19992015), Robert Evans (m. 19981998), siblings: Christina Oxenberg, Nicholas Augustus Balfour, children: Christina Oxenberg, Nicholas Augustus Balfour, Ancestry: Danish American, Finnish American, Swedish American, Serbian American, Russian American, education: Harvard University, Columbia University, St. Paul's School. In the movie, Catherine was portrayed by actress Andrea Roth. Whether you experienced sexual violence on your college campus or with a trusted community group, it's not your fault, and taking care of yourself after experiencing trauma is important. A good partner or friend will honor your level of comfort and get consent. "I lived in fear for probably two years, but my faith is -- has always been stronger than my fear, always," Catherine Oxenberg said. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now. They need to want to. The depiction of certain characters (the protagonists mother is described as a self-centered, gold-digging tart, and her father as a shameless social climber) placed a chill on her family relationships that endures to this day. But hes my cousin so I love him, and I understand that being a dummy doesnt make you a bad guy.. Six months later, back in Malibu, India remembered the duffel bag and decided to see what was on the flash drives. You may feel uncertainty, anxiety, or have feelings of vulnerability wanting to belong or be accepted. President Kennedy, meanwhile, died believing that I was his child, the poor thing.. The filmmakers Oscar-nominated stop-motion film captures his own feelings of being adrift in the world as an anomaly., Its Going to Be a Circus: The GOPs House Oversight Takeover Has Democrats Bracing for Partisan Warfare, Members like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert have vowed to inflict maximal pain with probes into Hunter Biden, the origin of COVID-19, and the border. The inspiration was Oxenbergs 1997 roman-a-clef, Royal Blue, about a dysfunctional clan of minor European royals. Please have your ticket ready for inspection.' Catherine Oxenberg is an American actress who is best known for her work in the ABC's primetime romance drama series Dynasty.Earlier she began her career as a professional model and thereafter took up acting as a career. "I just wanted my daughter back," she told People. That mystery is gone., Joanna Lumley Fears Women Wouldnt Have a Chance in Gender-Neutral Acting Categories. In 1999, she married actor Casper Van Dien. Oxenberg is a part of RAINN's National Leadership Council, which comprises individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to RAINN's mission of supporting survivors and ending sexual violence. And the other gift is, I dont think I will ever take the connection that I have with my children for granted again., India, for her part, just hope[s] that I will be a good mom. She let out a peal of laughter, But my God, if I get a daughterI think it would be a very interesting karmic experience for me to have a daughterto feel a little bit of what my mom has felt three times over.. The Oscar-Nominated Women Behind 'Elvis': Gail Berman, Catherine Martin & Mandy Walker Speak On The Man, The Myth, The Movie. NXIVM was initially billed as a self-help group with 16,000 members, and it promised people the tools for personal success and empowerment. India had been told by her mother and other former NXIVM members that Raniere was the dark, deliberate force behind DOS. The Catawban family is a branch of the larger Siouan a.k.a. Coercive behaviors can be used to pressure, force, manipulate, or trick someone into doing something they don't want to do. I still find myself being resistant to certain thingseven with my fianc, who I feel totally safe with, said India. And the way they laid out the case so that a jury would understand coercive control, which is not well-defined in this country specifically, was brilliant and made it crystal clear that these women did not have consent. True Hollywood Story (2001), TV's Most Memorable Weddings (2003), My Coolest Years (2005) and Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar (2006). At the moment, pointless an endeavour it might seem to some, but I am attempting to teach myself Anglo-Saxon (or Old English). In another bit of audio, Raniere instructed DOS masters on how to make it look as though the womenwhom he specified should be naked during their induction ceremonywanted to be branded, even though the pain, without anesthesia, was so searing that some participants had to be physically held down. A 2013 photo of Christinas sister catherine and mother princess elizabeth, who are flanked by catherine's then-husband, actor casper van dien, and queen elizabeths cousin prince michael of kent. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. [1] The film is narrated by Catherine Oxenberg, who also serves as an executive producer, and stars Andrea Roth, Jasper Polish, Sara Fletcher, Kristin Booth, Janet-Laine Green, and Peter Facinelli. "Its everything Ive been asked never to repeat.". [10][11], In 2019, Catherine Oxenberg produced and narrated Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter where Andrea Roth portrayed her. A few of Macks itemsjewelry, a diary, and a box of flash drivesseemed too personal to throw into a storage unit. In 2005, the couple appeared in their own reality series, I Married a Princess, which aired on the Lifetime Television channel in the United States and on LIVINGtv in the United Kingdom. But this October, India is opening up for the first time on-screen sharing intimate details about her journey, like the above flash drive account, in a four-part Starz docuseries called Seduced. By Mike Fleming Jr. February 28, 2023 3:12pm. India softened to Patricks advances when she realized he wanted to get to know the real hernot the character he had read about in the news. All I wanted was to get her back, and that took a while, Catherine Oxenberg says. And for the first time in a while, India also sees a future for herself. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [26] Oxenberg also appears in Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult a documentary series for Starz, directed by Cecilia Peck and Inbal B. Lessner, which features India speaking out about her experiences for the first time. ", "I started working with a de-programmer who helped me tremendously," she said. The Korean actor knows Hollywood will be hard to navigate, but believes in her peers: Asian actors are prepared., The concept of a movie star is someone untouchable you only see onscreen. In 2006, Oxenberg appeared in the TV special, Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar, in which she was reunited with her former Dynasty castmates to reminisce about the series. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid) Leer en Espaol India Oxenberg, a former member of the NXIVM cult led by Keith Raniere, denounced him during a sentencing hearing on Tuesday. Hopefully, a veteran Oversight Committee member tells, She wants people to know who she is beneath the glam: Theres no pretending with me.. Targeted recruits were unprotected and malleable, but also people who provided value. I continue to find it endlessly fascinating. . He really was a hapless sap. The movie was based on the above memoir. You're coerced into being branded.". If [India] had listened to me in 2017, we would have walked off arm-in-arm, but Keith Raniere would be still up and running, branding, having sex and exploiting women. Though Raniere and Mack have yet to be sentenced, Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman recently received just under seven years in prison for her involvement with NXIVM. Christina Oxenberg, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia at Oxenbergs 2013 book party for, Christina Oxenberg in 1986. All Rights Reserved. I am so sorry that your boundaries were not respected. Though Raniere had been arrested months prior, and the nefarious details of NXIVM and its master-slave sex cult DOS had been reported by outlets like the New York Times and Vanity Fair, the 27-year-old still believed what she had been told by Raniere and his coconspirator Allison Mack: that DOS, to which Oxenberg had pledged herself, was her only path to total enlightenment; that the brand crudely cauterized into her pelvic region was a Latin symbol for the elements; that her extreme deprivation diet, which caused her hair to fall out and stopped her periods, was a necessary means to prove her strength and self control; and that the oral-sex sessions Raniere had subjected her to were not for his gratification, but a way for her to work through the intimacy issues she was told she had. You're being trained into believing what serves the perpetrator and the way the perpetrator thinks. She is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia. Van Dien filed for divorce from Oxenberg in 2015. During her years in DOS, India said she felt detached from her feelings, thoughts, and desires. "It was horrible," she said when asked about the night she was branded. For my own sanity and safety, it was easier to accept the lies and not consider that it was nefarious or that the "lies" were not the truth. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Award-winning actress Catherine Oxenberg was born in New York and raised in London. "So I said, 'Who do you want to speak withBig Mike or Little Mike?' She said, 'Big Mike,' and called him straightaway." Said. Though the project did not yet have a home when they first approached Catherine Oxenberg about an interview, she saw the experience as an opportunity to tell her and Indias story so that it could be used to bring Keith to justice., To be honest, I was so focused on my goal that I dont even remember the cameras being there, I dont remember saying half the things I said, Catherine Oxenberg says of The Vow, adding that reliving it now is very painful., After Catherine Oxenberg confronted her daughter about her concerns in June 2017, she was dismissed and India Oxenberg returned to Albany, which was where she was living to be a part of the central hub of NXIVM. That was a huge, huge moment for me, India told Vanity Fair. I thought I needed to know certain things about myself to move forward with my goals and dreams. As time goes along, "love bombing" can become manipulative and overwhelming, taking on many forms. India Oxenberg explained the experience of waking up as "stages of revelations. Oxenberg is the one who introduced India to NXIVM, which billed itself as a self-help group. Oxenberg starred as the subject and executive producedthe four-part STARZ documentary series "Seduced: Inside the Nxivm Cult." Catherine Oxenberg 1987.jpg 1,351 1,977; 535 KB. I couldnt get her out, so I had to take down the whole organization, Catherine Oxenberg tells Variety. When you are being gaslighted, you are told your feelings are often wrong or your feelings are constantly invalidated. The Catawban, or Eastern Siouan, languages form a small language family in east North America. Language is a wonderful thing. She also executive produced and narrated an original TV movie Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter which tells the story of her fight to get her daughter, India, back from a dangerous sex cult. The following 3 files are in this category, out of 3 total. In September 2018, Princess Elizabeth spoke to RadarOnline.com outside a New York courthouse, explaining that India was working with a deprogrammer and "beginning to remember details that obviously were hidden in the subconscious." I have a physical scar -- but you don't have to live with that. Not sure where to start? They took it for a self-help, business-oriented program; however, India soon became involved in the cult. Van Dien had a son and a daughter from a previous marriage, Casper Robert Mitchum Van Dien and Caroline Grace Van Dien. My mom had an affair with J.F.K. When someone tries to coerce you, it is difficult to actually see the reality of the situation when you're conditioned and gaslighted into questioning your own instincts. Its everything Ive been asked never to repeat, she tells T&C from her home in Palm Beach, where she has lived since Hurricane Irma destroyed her Key West residence in 2017. Speaking out is a personal decision and it's up to you how you share your story and what you're comfortable with. I was asked if I wanted to share what happened to me a few times before I felt mentally and emotionally ready. Catherine Oxenberg has a fond memory of the first time she met Queen Elizabeth . She welcomed Catherine, her first child, with American dressmaker Howard Oxenburg in 1961; she was married two other times and has two other children. In his February 11 special, the comedian reflects on the loss of his partner, Lynn Shelton, while also tackling hot-button issues like abortion and fascism. On top of his ability to speak English, he can also speak French. ", She continued, "You don't just decide to be branded. James Harden surprises fan paralyzed in MSU shooting with FaceTime call and donation, 2 million air fryers recalled due to fire and burn hazards, Students speak out about bullying after fellow student dies by suicide, Digital Deals & Steals celebrating women-owned businesses, Actress Catherine Oxenberg describes how she fought to save her daughter from NXIVM, NXIVM founder Keith Raniere convicted of all charges in sex cult case, Accusations made against doctor connected to NXIVM. Survivors, you are not alone, and I believe you. Catherine Oxenberg was born on 22nd September 1961 in New York City, U.S as the eldest daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and her first husband Howard Oxenberg, an American Jewish businessman. In the new STARZ documentary, Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult," that premieres on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. India was still so indoctrinated in the organization she had joined at age 19 that, when questioned by FBI in 2018 after Ranieres arrest, India denied that anything negative or sexual had happened within NXIVM. She is the eldest daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia (born 1936) and her first husband Howard Oxenberg (19192010), a Jewish[1] dress manufacturer and close friend of the Kennedy family. Below are the warning signs that I experienced when I moved away and met Nxivm for the first time. These are emotions that many survivors face after experiencing abuse or sexual violence. He will never be rehabilitated. 2023 Cond Nast. Princess Olga was the sister of Princess Marina, who married Prince George, Duke of Kent (an uncle of Queen Elizabeth II). Eliza Bennett plays Amanda in the CW reboot series Dynasty from 2021 to 2022. Not one that instills fear to the point of self-isolation, but one that brings awareness to the levels of manipulation that exist in positions of power or, in my case, a seemingly benign superb of Albany, New York. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. "That's years of grooming. Catherine Oxenbergs journey to tell Indias story using her platform as a public persona is captured in Amer and Noujaims docuseries The Vow, airing through Oct. 18 on HBO. In 2011, the Catherine and India attended leadership seminar for a leadership organization called NXIVM. She speculates that Epstein and Maxwell, known for drawing influential and wealthy people into their orbit, saw a high-status target in Prince Andrew, her second cousin once removed. The answers aren't simple, but one of the most important things I've learned, that I want to share with you, is that when abuse happens, it is not your fault. Oxenberg was born in New York City, but grew up in London. When a young Prince and his trusted aid learn of a beautiful Princess's cursed eternal slumber, they embark on a journey to rescue her. The same year, she also appeared as herself in the documentary film Walking after Midnight. Where The Vow leaves off, Seduced picks up, Catherine explained. Rather than working with a plastic surgeon to partially remove her branda process that would have taken a year, and wouldnt have restored her skin pigmentation anywayIndia went a different route. They were grifters and he was low-hanging fruit, she says now. India hopes that Seduced might give audiences a more three-dimensional portrait of her than media headlines that dismissed her as a cult girl or a sex slave., If you really knew me and if you just sat down and talked to me, you would realize that Im not just that one-dimensional tagline, said India, speaking via Zoom from her mothers sunny living room in Brentwood. The upcoming movie on Lifetime -- which is part-owned by ABC's parent company, Disney -- reveals Oxenberg's impressions of the man who led the secretive organization and how he was able to lure her daughter. Oxenberg is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and her first husband, Howard Oxenberg (1919-2010). Unfortunately, those feelings of vulnerability led me to trust the wrong people and that's how I ended up in a cult. Allison Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy. Yes, there are frequent interrobangs that go through my head on public transport, normally preceded by the same acronym as you have cited above. [6] Though Oxenberg's publicist insisted that the actress left Dynasty voluntarily, several media outlets reported that she was fired. Her siblings include a sister Christina Oxenberg and a younger half-brother Nicholas Balfour from her mother's second marriage to Neil Balfour of Dawyck. Oxenberg spills the tea on the Kennedys, Jeffrey Epstein, her cousin Prince Andrew. Prosecutors said Raniere was a con man and predator who took advantage of women. "It was a trap," she said bluntly. In 2019 she executive produced and also narrated an original TV movie Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter on Lifetime Television. Still, there are times when Catherine Oxenberg wrestles with the guilt she feels over attending introductory NXIVM classes with her daughter and later putting her story in the media spotlight without her approval even though that latter part meant saving her from further psychological and physical harm. The show brought her a lot of popularity. If I was the judge I would send him to the supermax underground in Colorado where he cant influence anybody.. I remember those feelings clearly. When one thinks of . I was 19 years old when I was recruited by members of a cult called Nxivm. The following year, she was signed up to play Ashley Hunter-Coddington in the action-adventure series Acapulco H.E.A.T. He wanted to know from me, the sourceand I so appreciated that and needed that. In 1988, Catherine Oxenberg made her big screen debut with the British comedy horror film The Lair of the White Worm which was loosely inspired by Bram Stokers 1911 novel of the same name. She also turned producer for I Married a Princess. ", It was through a "line of questioning to help them start to think for themselves," that Catherine said helped her daughter. of the product. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. 10 Johnny Depp - French. ", Her mom added that she doesn't know "anybody on the planet who hasn't been manipulated -- or exploited or fooled in some way, or has been in -- a controlling abusive relationship. Overall, the perpetrator creates an incurable problem that only they can fix. It was the summer of 2018, and India had recently returned to the Malibu home of her mother, Dynasty actor Catherine Oxenberg, after spending seven years in Keith Ranieres secretive group NXIVM. Her maternal grandmother, Princess Olga, was the daughter of Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia and Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark, himself the son of another Romanov grand duchess, Queen Olga Konstantinovna of the Hellenes and her Danish-born husband King George of Greece, brother of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom and the Empress Maria Fyodorovna.[2]. India Oxenberg is opening up about her experience with NXIVM. Sleeping Beauty: Directed by Casper Van Dien. The trickier part of it all was that from the outside looking in, a lot of it could pass as a normal, seemingly legitimate, company with at the very least some unconventional practices or alternative, as they would describe them. But, India Oxenbergs story is not captured within The Vow. This is because Catherine Oxenberg made the deliberate decision to separate from Amer and Noujaim after Mack and Raniere were arrested in 2018. In 2019, Catherine Oxenbergs story was dramatized for an original TV movie on Lifetime. And Keith was not only a cult leader, he was a sexual predator. The decade of 1990s saw her starring in numerous television movies including Ring of Scorpio, K-9000 (both 1991), Sexual Response (1992), Rubdown (1993), Treacherous Beauties (1994), Catch Me If You Can (1998), Boys Will Be Boys, Arthur's Quest, Time Served, The Collectors and Thrill Seekers (all 1999). Don't let it take you down forever; you are not alone, you are not broken. Later, she learned that India had joined a "secret sorority" within NXIVM called D.O.S., where she was labeled a "slave," forcibly branded with Raniere's initials, and allegedly put on an incredibly restrictive diet. How India Oxenberg Overcame Brainwashing, Sex Abuse in Nxivm and Became an Advocate for Others, Allison Mack Says Involvement with Nxivm Was the 'Biggest Mistake and Regret' of Her Life Before Sentencing, Heaven's Gate 25 Years Later: Former Cult Member Turned Recovery Counselor Explains How Cults Recruit, Colo. I feel like if theres anything that you can do to heal, its to take your pain and turn it into something positive., She also wants to start her own family: Im planning to get married and I would love to have children., Catherine is thrilled to watch the return of her warm, loving daughter. In 1992, Catherine Oxenberg once again portrayed Princess Diana in the ABC television movie Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After. He was the first to mass market maternity clothes, which was very clever, Oxenberg says. She is the daughter of HRH Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and the granddaughter of Prince Paul, Prince Regent of Yugoslavia. She finally reached out to me, Oxenberg says of her daughter. ", Her mom added that, "Getting somebody out of a cult is very different than a drug intervention, for instance, because their critical thinking has been taken away. ", She continued, "There's predation on so many different levels. To give you a better idea of what the language is like, check out these four important facts about Catalan: 1. Being a princess can work Isolation tactics are used to keep the at-risk individual under control and under monitoring. They had enforcers; they had people who developed trust with young women. The more we bring light to this kind of predatory behavior and expose it, the safer it will be for young women.. The author of nine books of fiction and non-fiction, she is now serializing a tell-all memoir every week on the crowd-funded content platform, Patreon (entries are published on Sundays and Thursdays).