Brooke Nevils, Matt Lauer's Accuser, Gives First Televised Interview
Brooke Nevils, the woman who accused former Today anchor Matt Lauer of rape, is speaking out in her first televised interview.
Nevils, who alleged she was raped in Lauer's Sochi hotel room in 2014, sat down with CNN's Pamela Brown to discuss her new book, Unspeakable Things: Silence, Shame and the Stories We Choose to Believe. The book, which is part memoir, part monograph, recounts her experience making the confidential complaint to NBC News that led to the dismissal of Lauer, who was then the highest-paid morning news anchor in history. It continues by exploring the issue of consent and dangerous misunderstandings, myths, and stereotypes surrounding sexual harassment and assault.
In the intimate interview, Nevils shared that she ended up in a psychiatric ward after she made the complaint. After being outed by a tabloid, she was struggling with PTSD.
"I wasn't fine anymore. I didn't want to live anymore. I couldn't live with myself anymore," said Nevils.
Nevils spoke candidly when Brown asked why she chose to write the book.
"I remember what it felt like to read other women talking about what happened to them. To hear them saying things that I thought I had to have been the only one to have felt that way, to have been in that position, to have reacted that way, and that moment where you realize you're not alone," she shared. "That changes everything."
Nevils spoke of how there are impossible expectations placed upon sexual assault victims in society, and that the reality is that the "gray area" is often the norm.
"You think, what happened to me can't possibly be a sexual assault because I didn't react the way a ‘real' rape victim did. Well, yes, you did. We just have the wrong ideas about how victims react," said Nevils. "Our standards for victims in the aftermath of a sexual assault are impossibly high. We expect them to immediately recognize what happened as a sexual assault, when we know that's rarely what happens. These situations are confusing. They're devastating. And one of the most common reactions to it is denial… It takes time to understand what happens to you, to come to terms with it. And when we see victims doing that, we accuse them of being inconsistent. If they do tell the story the same way every time, then we say, oh, you're rehearsed."
Nevils made a point to note that there are women out there who make false allegations.
"It shouldn't be 'believe all women all the time.' It should be 'stop disbelieving victims for the wrong reasons,'" she noted.
Check out more of the interview below:
What Did Katie Couric Say About Brooke Nevils?
Couric, 69, and Lauer, 68, worked as co-anchors on the iconic morning show for nine years. While Couric departed the show in 2006, the duo was widely known for their tight relationship and strong on-screen chemistry. However, Couric made it clear in a recent appearance that she has nothing but sympathy for Nevils.
"I feel terrible for her," Couric said at the City Harvest Presents The 2026 Gala: Shaken, Not Stirred, Page Six reported. "I think she's very brave to write the book."
Page Six also reached out to Lauer's lawyer for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Where is Matt Lauer These Days?
Lauer served as co-anchor on Today until 2017, when he was terminated. These days, he mostly flies under the radar. However, he was recently spotted with his girlfriend, Shamin Abas, in Sag Harbor, New York, on Monday, March 23, PEOPLE reported. The rare sighting of the duo, who prefer to keep a low profile, came almost two months after the release of Nevils' memoir.
Related: Katie Couric Makes Rare Comments About Matt Lauer's Accuser, Brooke Nevils
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 1:04 PM.