THURMAN BREAKS SILENCE ON WEINSTEIN
Actress accuses disgraced Hollywood mogul of attacking her and threatening her career
ACTRESS Uma Thurman, who is indelibly linked to Harvey Weinstein’s Miramax studio, thanks to her iconic roles in Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, has broken her silence about the disgraced Hollywood mogul, accusing him of attacking her and threatening her career.
Dozens of Hollywood women, including Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Beckinsale and Salma Hayek, have accused Weinstein of acts ranging from sexual harassment to rape.
Thurman, 47, told The New York Times in an interview published on Saturday of two incidents in London that took place after the release of 1994’s Oscarwinning Pulp Fiction.
They followed an episode in Paris during which Thurman said Weinstein, dressed in a bathrobe, led her into a steam room during a meeting about a script.
In the first “attack”, in Weinstein’s suite at London’s Savoy Hotel, “he pushed me down. He tried to shove himself on me. He tried to expose himself. He did all kinds of unpleasant things”.
Thurman said she took a friend with her to confront Weinstein not long after, but his assistants pressured her to meet him alone.
Thurman said she told Weinstein: “If you do what you did to me to other people, you will lose your career, your reputation and your family, I promise you.”
Weinstein told the paper “she very well could have said this”.
Thurman’s friend, Ilona Herman, Robert De Niro’s long-time make-up artist, recalled in the Times that the actress came out of that meeting “very dishevelled and so upset”.
Herman said Thurman told her that Weinstein had threatened to end her career.
Weinstein “acknowledges making an awkward pass 25 years ago at Thurman in England after misreading her signals, after a flirtatious exchange in Paris, for which he immediately apologised and deeply regrets”, his spokesman said.
“However, her claims about being physically assaulted are untrue. Weinstein is saddened and puzzled as to ‘why’ Thurman, someone he considers a colleague and a friend, waited 25 years to make these allegations public.”
Weinstein is reportedly in treatment for sexual addiction. Until now, he has insisted all his sexual encounters have been consensual. His lawyer, Ben Brafman, said Weinstein was “stunned and saddened”.
Thurman’s comments to the Times “are being carefully examined and investigated before deciding whether any legal action against her would be appropriate”, Brafman said.
The actress had suggested mistreatment by Weinstein in an Instagram post last November when she said: “You don’t deserve a bullet — stay tuned.”
In the Times interview, Thurman also accused director Quentin Tarantino, who had often referred to her as his “muse”, of forcing her to drive an unsafe car during filming of Kill Bill leading to a serious crash.
In footage posted by the Times, the actress was seen speeding down an unpaved road before crashing into a tree.
Thurman was jolted and left dazed for several moments until crew members carried her away.
“I felt this searing pain and thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m never going to walk again,’” she said.
“Quentin and I had an enorand mous fight, I accused him of trying to kill me.”
Miramax told her at the time that she could see the footage of the crash if she gave up her right to sue, which she declined.
“When they turned on me after the accident,” she said, “I went from being a creative contributor and performer to being like a broken tool.”
Fellow actressquick es were to support Thurman, with Reese W i t h e rspoon describing her story as “deeply upsetting”. “Uma Thurman has seen the inside of our industry for 30 years. I have great respect for her. She is a warrior,” added Jessica Chastain.
In London, British police are investigating sexual assault allegations brought by nine womagainst en Weinstein. Scotland Yard confirmed that its “Operation Kaguyak” was investigating 14 separate claims brought by the women.