MOVIE MOGUL FACES RAPE CLAIMS
Hollywood’s at war over ‘sex pest’ row
HARVEY Weinstein last night denied rape claims after three women said he assaulted them.
The Hollywood mogul, 65, faced a fresh wave of allegations spanning 30 years after he was accused earlier this week of harassing workers.
His spokeswoman has “unequivocally denied” the rape claims.
More than a dozen women have now alleged that Weinstein sexually harassed them.
Italian star Asia Argento told the New Yorker magazine he took her to a hotel room during a Miramax party in 1997 and asked her for a massage.
He then performed a sex act on her even though she told him to stop, she claimed.
Former acting hopeful Lucia Evans and an unnamed woman also told the publication he forced them into sex.
Four other unnamed women said Weinstein touched them without consent and four more claimed he flashed at them.
His spokeswoman said: “Mr Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who ® have made allegations on the record, Mr Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual.”
Hollywood is at war over the sex scandal.
Top designer Donna Karan was blasted for suggesting women he allegedly harassed were to blame through wearing sexy clothes.
She said: “Are we asking for it by presenting all the sensuality and all the sexuality?”
Whispers
Actress Rosanna Arquette claimed he forced himself on her but she fought him off.
Titanic star Kate Winslet said she heard whispers about the filmmaker.
Speaking to The New York Times, Gwyneth Paltrow said she was “petrified” when Weinstein propositioned her when she was 22 and preparing for her breakout role in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma.
And Angelina Jolie said she rejected Weinstein’s advances during the release of Playing By Heart in 1998 and vowed never to work with the producer again.