Warning: This investigation contains themes of a sexual nature that some readers might find upsetting.
She alighted onRyan Kirwan, a man whose business was booming at the height of the post-pandemic production frenzy.
Kirwan stood out from the competition by producing glossy two-handers using a 12K camera.
Ryan KirwanRyan Kirwan Films/Vimeo/WhatsApp
And Kirwan was nice to a point.
But Nikki says she soon saw a different side of Kirwan over WhatsApp.
After filming her showreel in June 2022, Kirwan started sending her unsolicited dick pics.
Ryan Kirwan message to Lucie in March 2024
The women were aged between 19 and 44 at the time of receiving these messages.
The filmmaker has not denied the allegations against him.
I take full responsibility for the people affected and wish to apologise to all of them.
Deadline has disguised their identities by using pseudonyms.
An acting coach with an established business, Lucie was older than the other women Kirwan had messaged.
Lucie was impressed with Kirwans set-up and professionalism and decided to update her own showreel earlier this year.
She filmed with him and he delivered the final edit.
Then the conversation switched gears.
Lucie, 44, was one of the women on the receiving end of this story in March.
She was unsettled by the messages, but gave Kirwan the benefit of the doubt.
Hes in a bit of shock and hes oversharing, so I went along with it, she recalls.
Lucies initial instinct to entertain Kirwans story changed when he allegedly started sending her images.
Lucie felt sick and violated by her exchange and days later decided to confront Kirwan.
That afternoon, he texted her saying: So sorry to have put you in that position.
Ill confirm nothing like that ever happens again and Ill sort myself out.
I feel so embarrassed.
Lucie responded: Youre lucky it was me.
Someone else might have taken it to the police or [UK actors union] Equity.
The response was overwhelming, she says.
Kirwan deployed a different story with Nikki.
Messages from June 2022 show him recounting an experience on a shoot involving male models in a changing room.
Nikki laughed and replied: Yes Ill need to see it now.
Im guessing youve had a big one, he asked.
She replied: Hahahahaha, thats for me to know.
Nikki says she feels embarrassed when she re-reads the conversation.
She was not attracted to Kirwan and considered him a professional industry contact.
Kirwan was more direct in subsequent WhatsApp messages to Nikki.
He offered to send them to Nikki, but she declined.
I wont be able to look at you the same hahahaha.
I just cant, she said.
He then sent three messages that were quickly deleted.
Kirwan used the life drawing story with at least one other woman: his employee Sabrina.
Sabrina thought she was alone in receiving unprofessional messages.
I really didnt think he was like this with other people.
This time, he failed to delete them.
WTF, Nikki said when she saw the images.
Kirwan claimed that he had deleted them from the chat, adding: I was so drunk.
Nikki replied: I honestly dont know what to say to you.
Like how do you think this is ok?!
Kirwan responded: I wont message you again.
I dont want to make you feel uncomfortable and Im so so sorry.
It was a dreadful drunken mistake and I cant apologise enough.
Police are investigating two separate allegations of cyberflashing.
Enquiries are ongoing, a spokesperson said.
Nikki, meanwhile, is coming to terms with her encounter with Kirwan.
As a woman, I just normalize these things because this happens too often, she says.
But when [Lucie] shared her message on Instagram, I realized this is not normal.
Two other women accuse Kirwan of sending them unsolicited images.
Hilary was 19 when Kirwan texted months after wrapping her showreel in April 2021.
Unlike Lucie and Nikki, he did not embellish the images with a story.
Im quite well endowed so I was taking a little pic of it.
Obviously wasnt meant to be sent your way, he told her.
Oh s**t… that wasnt meant for you!
Again, Hilary played dumb, but Kirwan was undeterred.
Ill show you what it was if you want but just dont tell anyone haha, he wrote.
Its okay, she replied.
Kirwan did not just send inappropriate messages to clients.
She hastily deleted the images, but told a friend about them almost immediately over WhatsApp.
Hes totally deluded, Ashleys confidant replied.
Ashley blocked Kirwan on WhatsApp, but he messaged her through a different number in April 2024.
I was talking about your stupid infamous list the other day, he said.
hey do not contact me again, she pleaded.
Kirwan replied: Sorry.
I guess that list always stuck with me.
Soon after she posted the message, Kirwan shut down his business and social media pages.
Kirwans Apology Tour
Privately, he was embarking on an apology tour.
In a voice note to Nikki, he confessed that his messages were inappropriate stuff.
The cocaine led to even more exhaustion, depression and ultimately self loathing.
This endless, vicious cycle then took me back to cocaine again.
I take full responsibility for the people affected and wish to apologise to all of them.
I am currently getting professional help by seeing therapists as well as attending Cocaine Anonymous.
In the arts and entertainment industries, abuse often goes hand in hand with abuse of power.
Something victims tend to find out too late, she says.
