‘Project Runway’ Star Michael Costello Comes Forward With Chrissy Teigen Bullying Allegations

Project Runway contestant Michael Costello is now the second celebrity this year to come forward as a victim of Chrissy Teigen’s online social media bullying.

Costello opened up about his suicidal thoughts due to Teigen’s bullying in 2014 in a lengthy Instagram post.

“For the past 7 years, I’ve lived with a deep, unhealed trauma,” he wrote. “I wanted to kill myself and I still am traumatized, depressed and have thoughts of suicide.” Costello explained in his post the Teigen had accused him publicly on Instagram in 2014 of being a “racist.”

“She apparently formed her own opinion of me based on a photoshopped comment floating around the internet,” he said. “When I reached out to Chrissy Teigen to communicate that I was the victim of a vindictive cyber slander, and that everything she thought I was is not who I am, she told me that my career was over and that all my doors will be shut from there on.”

Teigen began berating Costello after a photoshopped picture from Tumblr showed Costello using derogatory slurs. Costello also shared screenshots on Instagram with Teigen. Teigen replied, “Good! racist people like you deserve to suffer and die. You might as well be dead. Your career is over, just watch.”

Costello went on to say that the false narrative continued to ruin opportunities for him.

“Wow, did she live up to her words. Throughout the next few years, I would book jobs only to be pulled off last minute with no explanation,” he said. Costello stated that he would get calls and texts from their mutual colleagues and friends about how Teigen allegedly threatened brands and people “if they were in any shape or form associated with me.”

Costello then wrote, “I just want people to realize that I, too, am human and this was the most inhuman treatment to ever be endured by someone who has seen their decades of hard work, years of building a brand, crumble from one comment,” Costello shared. “These bullies could’ve reached out to me anytime, but they refused. Instead, they would much rather see me suffer and laugh at my demise.”

Five hours before Costello came forward, Teigen who has now been dropped from major brand endorsements after Courtney Stodden came forward to address her 2011 bullying experience with Teigen, posted to Medium to apologize for her past behaviors.

“There is simply no excuse for my past horrible tweets,” she wrote. “My targets didn’t deserve them. No one does. Many of them needed empathy, kindness, understanding and support, not my meanness masquerading as a kind of casual, edgy humor. I was a troll, full stop. And I am so sorry.”