Marion Cotillard, who has been pegged as "the other woman" in the divorce drama between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, responded to the rumors with this message on Instagram:

"This is going to be my first and only reaction to the whirlwind news that broke 24 hours ago and that I was swept up into.
I am not used to commenting on things like this nor taking them seriously but as this situation is spiraling and affecting people I love, I have to speak up.
Firstly, many years ago, I met the man of my life, father of our son and of the baby we are expecting. He is my love, my best friend, the only one that I need.
Secondly to those who have indicated that I am devastated, I am very well thank you. This crafted conversation isn't distressing.
And to all the media and the haters who are quick to pass judgment, I sincerely wish you a swift recovery.
Finally, I do very much wish that Angelina and Brad, both whom I deeply respect, will find peace in this very tumultuous moment.
With all my love
Marion"​

In addition to announcing her pregnancy to her longtime partner, Cotillard addresses "the haters," which likely means the people who blamed her for Pitt and Jolie's divorce. (The strongest "evidence" of this so-called infidelity is that Pitt and Cotillard are co-stars in an upcoming film.)

Page Six - pagesix.com

Whether or not the rumors were true, the narrative about the divorce, which unfairly focuses on the perceived "other woman" Marion Cotillard rather than the spouses involved, is a form of sexism and subtle slut-shaming.

Beyond the fact that inserting Cotillard into the issue removes her agency in the situation, there is toxic sexism behind the cheating rumors. Nico Lang at Salon writes:

"But if Brad Pitt actually did cheat on Angelina Jolie with Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Michael Bloomberg’s enthusiastic sign language interpreter, a sexy female sherpa or Barb from 'Stranger Things' — and there’s no evidence at this point that any of that is true — there’s only one person whose fault it is and it’s not his wife or mistress. It’s his.

"Why is it so difficult to hold a man accountable for his mistakes? This is a question that comes up every time a famous man strays from his marriage."

This sexist trope of a temptress woman also played out when Pitt called it quits with ex-wife Jennifer Aniston. Everyday Feminism points out the issues with blaming the "other woman":

"There is a long history in Western culture of looking at women as dangerous seductresses that have all of the control. If a woman comes onto a man, he has no choice but to fall prey to her charms.

"As a counterpart to this is the idea that men are helpless to control their sexual urges. Therefore, women have to be responsible for making sure men don’t cheat."

The article also highlights how the notion of "the temptress" plays into rape culture.

"Making women responsible for men’s sexual behavior is a key component of rape culture. It’s the same concept that says a woman is 'asking for it' if she dresses a certain way.

"The truth is that men are perfectly capable of making decisions about who to date and who not to. Just as they are able to hear and understand a woman’s 'no,' they are able to turn down an attractive and available woman because it’s more important to them to honor their existing monogamous relationship."

Check out the original post below.