The escalating drama between beauty influencer James Charles and content creator Kayla Malec reached a new peak this week, as Malec responded to Charles with a series of three 10-minute videos. Her posts come shortly after winning a domestic assault case against her ex-boyfriend, Evan Johnson — a case that sparked widespread online discussion and drew Charles into the spotlight.
In April, Malec publicly accused Johnson of emotional and physical abuse during their relationship. The allegations prompted a wave of support, but also controversy when Charles was accused of befriending Johnson despite allegedly knowing about the abuse. Charles addressed the situation in a 7 May TikTok video, where he admitted to a “brief friendship” with Johnson and claimed he only learned of the abuse after watching Malec’s “he doesn’t love you” video series.
Now, Malec has shared her side of the story — and her alleged receipts.
9 Key Takeaways from Kayla Malec’s Response
1. Malec Claims Charles Knew About the Abuse Early On
In her videos, Malec insisted that Charles was aware of Johnson’s behaviour before she went public. She claimed he regularly commented on how attractive Johnson was and seemed to ignore red flags.
2. Flirtatious DMs Between Johnson and Charles
While on holiday with Johnson, Malec said she noticed frequent DMs between him and Charles. Though she didn’t provide screenshots of the messages, she implied the conversations were flirtatious.
3. Alleged Screenshots Reveal Charles’s Awareness Post-Breakup
Malec presented an alleged screenshot of a conversation in which she told Charles about her breakup with Johnson, stating Johnson had done “the worst things a human can do.” In the same thread, Charles allegedly responded, “Can I have him now?”
4. Charles Accused of Warning Johnson About Upcoming Videos
According to Malec, she informed Charles about her plans to post a TikTok series titled “Who TF Did I Marry?!” Afterward, Johnson mentioned the video series in a phone call — leading Malec to believe Charles had warned him in advance.
5. Snapchat Post Allegedly Taken at Charles’s House
Malec said she later saw a Snapchat story from Johnson that appeared to be filmed in Charles’s backyard. When she questioned Charles about it, she claims he didn’t give a clear answer.
6. Charles and Johnson Allegedly Attended Coachella Together
Malec also alleged that Charles flew Johnson to California and that they attended Coachella together. Social media clips appeared to show them at the festival. Charles later messaged Malec, according to her, admitting, “I lied to you and I shouldn’t have… I owe you the truth.”
He then told her he had cut ties with Johnson after watching her videos detailing the abuse.
7. Malec Questions Charles’s ‘Manipulation’ Defence
In a final alleged message to Charles, Malec asked, “How did you get to the point for him to manipulate you? I told you he abused me the day that we broke up.” She added that while Charles attempted to reconnect several times, she has no interest in speaking to him again.
8. Charles’s Apology Lacked Transparency, Malec Says
Malec noted that Charles’s apology lacked substance, claiming he failed to show any screenshots of his conversations with Johnson and didn’t take responsibility for his role in the fallout.
9. Charles’s Response Video Posted After Court Win
Malec also expressed frustration over the timing of Charles’s video. She claimed he posted it just one hour after she publicly celebrated winning her court case, suggesting he only responded once it became clear he was entangled in the controversy.
Meanwhile, viewers noted that Malec’s response did not mention Zach Sellers or the Bee Better interview, both of which played roles in Charles being linked to Johnson in the first place.
