LOS ANGELES (WP) - Actor James Van der Beek revealed on Wednesday that he faced sexual harassment early in his career.

In a series of tweets, the 40-year-old Dawson's Creek star said he had been targeted by older, powerful men.

"I've had them corner me in inappropriate sexual conversations when I was much younger," he wrote."I understand the unwarranted shame, powerlessness and inability to blow the whistle. There's a power dynamic that feels impossible to overcome."

Van der Beek later tweeted: "The harassment I tweeted about was by people 99.9 per cent of whom you don't know. Two were charged (by others) & punished. The other has since died."

On Tuesday, actor Terry Crews also shared his experience of being groped by a "high level Hollywood executive". Crews said he was at a Hollywood function last year with his wife when the incident happened.

The 49-year-old Brooklyn Nine-Nine star decided not to pursue the matter because he was worried about jeopardising his career.