Russell Brand’s October 2024 tweet forecasting that “the world is never going to be the same after November 5th” has taken on a chilling double meaning since his conviction.
Brand, 51, posted the message on X on October 21 of last year, framing it around the U.S. Presidential election and his support for Donald Trump. The date he singled out—November 5—turned out to be the same day a London jury found him guilty of rape and multiple counts of sexual assault.
The former MTV host and “St Trinian’s” actor was convicted at Southwark Crown Court last Wednesday of raping a 21-year-old fan after meeting her at a 2009 stand-up show at the Hammersmith Apollo. The jury also found him guilty of sexually assaulting a Channel 4 worker during a forced massage encounter that same year, groping an MTV worker at a Soho bar party in 2004, and sexually assaulting a Choice FM worker in a corridor in 2004 or 2005.
Brand reportedly remained “incredibly still” and showed “no emotion” as the verdict was read. He has been warned to expect a “significant custodial term” when he is sentenced on Monday.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police Service praised the women who came forward, noting they had faced “intense media and public scrutiny” throughout the process. “Despite intense media and public scrutiny, they relived deeply personal and traumatic experiences, and placed their trust in us,” he said. “Without their bravery, this outcome would not have been possible.”
Furphy continued: “Brand used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women. As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement. I hope this conviction sends a clear message that no-one is above the law, no matter how famous or powerful they may be.”
The conspiracy-tinged social media persona Brand cultivated in recent years had made election-related pronouncements commonplace on his accounts. The October post attracted fresh attention after the verdict as observers noted the uncanny overlap between his political prediction and his personal legal reckoning.
Brand married Laura Gallacher in 2017, and the couple have three children together.
The comedian’s transformation from mainstream Hollywood star—known for films like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and his brief marriage to Katy Perry—to fringe media figure peddling anti-establishment narratives had already alienated much of his earlier audience. His 2024 tweet about November 5th originally circulated among supporters who interpreted it as commentary on Trump’s electoral chances.
The Metropolitan Police investigation that led to last week’s convictions spanned years and involved multiple complainants whose allegations dated back to the height of Brand’s television and film career.
Brand is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday at Southwark Crown Court.