Who Is Elsie Hewitt? Ryan Phillippe Denies Assaulting Model

A model best known for her work with Guess Jeans is suing actor Ryan Phillippe, claiming her former boyfriend abused her during an argument back in July.

Elsie Hewitt, 21, filed a civil suit against the 43-year-old, according to People Magazine, claiming that the "Shooter" star got violent with her during an argument before they split in July. In her claims, Hewitt says she suffered chest wall pain, abrasions and severe bruising after the alleged July 4 assault, and she is asking for no less than $1 million in damages.

According to the claim, Phillippe "grabbed Hewitt's upper arm so tightly that his grip left heavy bruises on her arm hours later. He then braced his body and violently threw her down his staircase as hard as he could." The claim also contends that he "kicked her, aggressively pushed her to the ground," and later, "tossed her down the stairs a second time."

There were additional claims that Phillippe, in the months the two had dated, had repeatedly abused a wide variety of drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms and steroids, which reportedly increased his agitation and made him dangerous.

"Phillippe increasingly combined these drugs with excessive alcohol consumption and often exhibited symptoms attendant of poly drug and alcohol abuse, including mood swings and bouts of anger," the report read.

Hewitt's lawyer, Keith fink, also told People that she wasn't filing the claim for fame and money, and that she was simply taking a stand against domestic violence.

"She's not going to take a dime, I am not making a dime, [if she wins the case] the money is going to a domestic violence charity," he said in a statement.

Hewitt, who is best known for her work with Guess and for being a Playboy model, also took to Instagram after the filing was made public, not explicitly referencing the case, but discussing how she'd been going through some "tribulations" recently.

"..Everyone's fighting their own battles that they understandably choose not to share. Sometimes it's crazy to me that people show interest in me/ my life when I've shared so much more of what I'm doing and how I look as opposed to who I really am. I'm a very private person but there are some tribulations I've been facing recently so I wanted to say thank u guys for your love, thank you to those who have been there for me, and thank you to those in my life who haven't, for teaching me a good lesson," she wrote.

Hewitt's Instagram page around the dates of the alleged incident also sees her taking an absence from social media. After posting a photo on July 1, the model didn't take to the platform again until July 14.

Phillippe has denied the claims against him, with a source telling People that he "did not lay a hand on her. He wants to clear all of this up and he will."

Another source claimed that the allegations Phillippe had been using drugs were also false, and Hewitt was the one under the influence, The source also claimed she has been seeking revenge and fame against the actor since with the claims of domestic violence.

"Elsie showed up to Ryan's house uninvited and under the influence a few days after he had broken up with her. She physically attacked Ryan, caused a scene and refused to leave his home. As she was removed from the premises, she claims she fell and injured herself," the source said. "There is no restraining order presently in place of any kind. At the time it happened, there was a temporary which was terminated only a few days after. She has since tried to seek revenge and fame by sending glamour shots of herself to media outlets with a false story of domestic violence."

Phillippe, who was married to actress Reese Witherspoon from 1999-2007 and has two kids with her, Ava and Deacon, as well as a daughter, Kai, with Alexis Knapp, previously opened up in an interview with Elle Magazine in 2015, admitting he has struggled with depression for his entire life.

"You know, depression has been a huge obstacle for me ever since I was a child. As you get older, I think it decreases some, but I'm just innately kind of a sad person. I'm empathetic, and I take on the feelings of others and transpose myself into the position of others," he said at the time.

Phillippe and Hewitt were first linked together in April of this year, after being spotted at Coachella.