Harvey Weinstein accused of raping three women as string of stars come forward with assault and harassment allegations
ACTRESS Asia Argento says Harvey Weinstein raped her after he invited her to a party — and she arrived to find him alone in a hotel room in just a bathrobe.
She said Weinstein made her give him a massage with lotion then forcibly performed oral sex on her.
The Italian actress, 21 at the time, told The New Yorker magazine she was terrified by the “horrible trauma”. She added: “He was so big. It wouldn’t stop. It was a nightmare. I was not willing.
“I said, ‘No, no, no!’ It’s twisted. A scary fairytale.”
Afterwards she said she told Weinstein: “I am not a whore.” He laughed and said he would put those words on a T-shirt.
Asia, 42, star of 2002 movie xXx, said Weinstein’s attack took place in a French Riviera hotel when she was working on crime drama B Monkey, distributed by his Miramax firm.
The actress admitted she later willingly had sexual encounters with Weinstein, adding: “After the rape, he won.”
In 2000 she directed a film called Scarlet Diva in which a heavy-set producer corners Asia’s character in a hotel room, asks for a massage and tries to assault her.
She said other women later told her they realised the attacker was based on Weinstein.
Weinstein himself was also said to have recognised he was the inspiration and told her: “Ha, ha, very funny.”
Asia is one of three women who told The New Yorker that Weinstein, 65, had raped them.
Lucia Evans said he set up a meeting in his office in 2004 when she was an aspiring actress using the name Lucia Stoller.
She claimed once there they briefly talked about possible roles — then he pounced, forcing her to perform oral sex.
Lucia added: “I said, over and over, ‘I don’t want to do this. Stop. Don’t’. He’s a big guy. He overpowered me.”
A third woman, who did not wish to be named, said Weinstein lured her to a hotel room under a false pretext then “forced himself on me sexually”.
The woman said she considered calling police but had to work with Weinstein further.
She added: “I was in a vulnerable position and I needed my job. It just increases the shame and the guilt.”
The rape allegations come after The New Yorker spoke to 13 women who say they were assaulted or sexually harassed by Weinstein between the 1990s and 2015.
What we know so far...
- On October 5th, The New York Times publishes an article about Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct revealing settlements with at least eight women.
- The movie mogul then issues a statement admitting he has "caused a lot of pain" apologising for his actions.
- He's fired by the board of the Hollywood business he launched - The Weinstein Company - with "immediate effect."
- His growing list of accusers include Angelina Jolie, Asia Argento , Gwyneth Paltrow, Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd.
- The New Yorker claims three women have accused him of rape, allegations he “unequivocally denies”.
- British wife Georgina Chapman announces she is leaving him saying: "My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered."
- Weinstein reportedly heads for therapy for "his sex addiction and behavioural issues" at a European clinic.
- The Oscar winner's film credits include Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting and Django Unchained, Gangs of New York and Shakespeare in Love.
The latest names to come forward and claim they were targeted by the producer are Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.
Gwyneth, 45, claimed Weinstein tried it on with her after hiring her as a 22- year-old for the lead in Jane Austen adaptation Emma.
While Angelina, 42, said she had a “bad experience” with the producer while at a junket for his film Playing by Heart in 1998. He was said to have made an “unwanted advance” and Angelina never worked with him again.
Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino, 50, and Rosanna Arquette, 58, also claimed their careers suffered after they rejected his advances.
Filipino-Italian model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, 24, alleged he grabbed her breast.
Last night, Hangover star Heather Graham, 47, also said Weinstein once implied she had to sleep with him to get roles.
She said: “He mentioned he had an agreement with his wife. He could sleep with whomever he wanted when he was out of town.”
Matt Damon, 47, also denied reports he tried to kill a 2004 expose on Weinstein, saying: “It’s not something I would do.”
Hillary Clinton said she was appalled by the revelations surrounding the mogul, who had donated to her campaigns.
Weinstein’s spokesman said: “Mr Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations.
“But with respect to women who have made allegations on the record, Mr Weinstein believes all of these relationships were consensual.
“Mr Weinstein has begun counselling and is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance.”
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Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth, 45, claimed Weinstein tried it on with her after hiring her as a 22- year-old for the lead in Jane Austen adaptation Emma.
She told how he summoned her to his Beverly Hills hotel suite for a meeting before filming began.
Gwyneth said he placed his hands on her and suggested they head to the bedroom for massages.
The “petrified” star refused and said the incident shattered her “Uncle Harvey” image of the mogul. She said she told her then-lover Brad Pitt, with her right, who confronted the divorced dad of five at a theatre and told him to leave her alone.
The film boss later rang and “screamed” at her down the phone. She said: “It was brutal. I was expected to keep the secret.” She went on to win a 1999 Oscar for Shakespeare in Love — produced by Weinstein.
Angelina Jolie
Angelina, 42, said she had a “bad experience” with the producer while at a junket for his film Playing by Heart in 1998.
He was said to have made an “unwanted advance” and Angelina never worked with him again.
She told the New York Times: "I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did.
"This behaviour towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable."
Rosanna Arquette
HOLLYWOOD stalwart Rosanna Arquette claimed an aroused Weinstein once tried to place her hand on his privates.
She said he greeted her wearing a white bathrobe when she went to his Beverly Hills Hotel suite in the early 1990s.
He told her his neck was sore and he needed a massage.
Pulp Fiction star Rosanna, 58, said: “Then he grabbed my hand. My heart was really racing. I was in a fight-or-flight moment.” She said she told him: “I will never do that.”
But the mogul warned her she was making a huge mistake.
Rosanna added: “He made things very difficult for me for years. He’s going to be working very hard to track people down and silence people.”
Ambra Battilana
ITALIAN model Ambra Battilana claims Weinstein lunged at her breasts, groped them — then asked if they were real.
She said he also tried to put his hand up her skirt.
Ambra, 24, made a complaint to New York police — and they secretly recorded her confronting Weinstein about the incident.
On the tape, released by The New Yorker yesterday, he is heard trying to persuade her into his hotel room while he takes a shower.
He says: “Oh, please, I’m sorry, just come on in.”
When she complains about the previous breast grope he says: “I’m used to that. Come on. Please. I won’t do it again.”
New York prosecutors decided not to charge Weinstein.
Katherine Kendall
ACTRESS Katherine Kendall told how she found herself at Weinstein’s apartment following a meeting in 1993 for him to give her scripts.
She claimed he then disappeared into the bathroom and came back in a robe — asking her to give him a massage and telling her: “Everybody does it”.
Katherine, now 48, said: “He literally chased me.
“He wouldn’t let me pass him to get to the door.”
The Swingers actress claimed the producer then tried to bargain with her, asking her to at least show him her breasts.
She said: “I just thought to myself, ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. I’m so offended — we just had a meeting’.”
Mira Sorvino
OSCAR-winning actress Mira Sorvino alleged that she was harassed by Weinstein at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 1995.
Mira, 50, who scooped the best supporting actress award for the Weinstein-produced Mighty Aphrodite, said she found herself in a hotel room with him.
She added: “He started massaging my shoulders and then tried to get more physical, sort of chasing me around.”
A few weeks later in New York, Weinstein rang in the dead of night to say he was coming over to discuss marketing.
Mira said: “I freaked out. I opened the door terrified, brandishing my 20lb chihuahua mix in front of me, as though that would do any good.”
Jessica Barth
ACTRESS Jessica Barth, who starred in comedy Ted, said Weinstein propositioned her after they met at the Golden Globes in 2011.
He asked her to his hotel room to “talk career stuff” and she arrived to find he had ordered champagne and sushi.
Jessica, 37, said in the conversation that followed he alternated between offering to cast her in a film and demanding a naked massage in bed.
He allegedly asked: “What would happen if we’re having champagne and I take my clothes off and you give me a massage?”
Jessica said she told him that “was not going to happen”.
The US star said she left in tears after Weinstein told her she needed to lose weight.
Emma De Caunes
FRENCH actress Emma de Caunes described Weinstein as a “hunter turned on by fear” after he allegedly cornered her in his hotel room.
She said they met at a film party in 2010 and he asked her to a meeting at the Ritz in Paris.
He brought her to his room to get a book, then appeared from the bathroom naked and aroused, telling her to lie on the bed.
Emma, 41, said: “I was petrified. I could feel the more I was freaking out, the more he was excited. It was like a hunter with a wild animal. The fear turns him on.”
She said he told her: “It’s like being in a Walt Disney movie.”
She added: “It took all my courage, but I said, ‘I’ve always hated Walt Disney movies.’ And I left. I slammed the door.”
