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PEOPLE/ARTS Wednesday 11 OctOber 2017
Paltrow, Jolie join flood of allegations against Weinstein

By JAKE COYLE in which Weinstein says he
AP Film Writer groped a model named
NEW YORK (AP) — An Ambra Battilana Gutier-
avalanche of allega- rez. At the time, Manhat-
tions poured out Tuesday tan District Attorney Cyrus
against Harvey Weinstein R. Vance, Jr., announced
in on-the-record reports that an investigation didn’t
that detailed claims of support criminal charges.
sexual abuse and included “If we could have prose-
testimonies from Gwyneth cuted Harvey Weinstein for
Paltrow and Angelina Jo- the conduct that occurred
lie, further intensifying the in 2015, we would have,”
already explosive collapse Karen Friedman-Agnifilo,
of the disgraced movie chief assistant district attor-
mogul. ney, said Tuesday.
Three women accused “While the recording is
Weinstein of raping them in horrifying to listen to, what
a story published online by emerged from the audio
The New Yorker, including was insufficient to prove a
the Italian actress Asia Ar- crime under New York law,
gento and a woman who which requires prosecutors
was an aspiring actress in to establish criminal intent,”
college when she caught she added. “Subsequent
Weinstein’s eye. A repre- This combination photo shows actresses Angelina Jolie at a premiere for “The Breadwinner” at the investigative steps under-
sentative for the mogul Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, 2017, left, and Gwyneth Paltrow arrives at the amfAR taken in order to establish
vehemently denied the al- Inspiration Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 29, 2015. intent were not successful.
legations in a statement to Associated Press This, coupled with other
the magazine. gento told The New Yorker. forced sex. Some of those Actress Louisette Geiss proof issues, meant that
In a follow-up to its earlier “That’s why this story — in incidents overlap with the (“Two and a Half Men”) there was no choice but to
expose, The New York Times my case, it’s twenty years eight allegations of sexual also came forward Tues- conclude the investigation
also reported Tuesday that old, some of them are old- harassment previously re- day, announcing in a press without criminal charges.”
many other actresses have er — has never come out.” ported by The New York conference at Gloria All- Weinstein was fired Sun-
in recent days added to Attorneys for Weinstein, Times, all of which resulted red’s Los Angeles office day by the Weinstein Co.,
the chorus of accusations 65, did not immediately in financial settlements. that in a 2008 meeting at the studio he co-founded,
surrounding Weinstein. Pal- return messages Tuesday. But they also go much fur- the Sundance Film Festival, three days after a bomb-
trow described Weinstein’s The New Yorker quoted ther. In the article, Rosanna Weinstein appeared nude shell New York Times ex-
attempt to lure her, then Weinstein representative Arquette and Mira Sorvino in an open bathrobe and pose alleged decades of
22, into giving him a mas- Sallie Hofmeister respond- are among those who asked several times that crude sexual behavior on
sage in a hotel room. The ing that “any allegations of claim Weinstein sexually she watch him masturbate. his part toward female em-
incident prompted her non-consensual sex are un- harassed them. Arquette The New Yorker also re- ployees and actresses, in-
then-boyfriend Brad Pitt to equivocally denied by Mr. described a 1990s incident ported that 16 former and cluding Ashley Judd.
angrily confront Weinstein Weinstein.” at a Beverly Hills hotel in current executives and as- Weinstein responded to
at a film premiere. “Mr. Weinstein has further which Weinstein tried to sistants at The Weinstein the report in a lengthy,
Both reports significantly confirmed that there were make her give him a mas- Co. and Miramax either rambling statement in
ratcheted up the unfold- never any acts of retalia- sage and then attempted witnessed or knew of Wein- which he pleaded for a
ing scandal surrounding tion against any women for to lead her hand to his pe- stein’s unwanted sexual second chance and apol-
Weinstein, who was fired refusing his advances. Mr. nis. Afterward, the actress advances. “All sixteen said ogized for the pain he had
Sunday from the Wein- Weinstein obviously can’t told the magazine, “He the behavior was widely caused.
stein Co. They not only de- speak to anonymous al- made things very difficult known within both Miramax Since his firing, much of
scribe a mounting number legations, but with respect for me for years.” and the Weinstein Compa- Hollywood has reacted
of alleged incidents, but to any women who have I had a bad experience ny.” with disgust and outraged,
thoroughly document the made allegations on the with Harvey Weinstein in Representatives for The including Meryl Streep,
systematic harassment, record, Mr. Weinstein be- my youth, and as a result, Weinstein Co. didn’t imme- Lena Dunham, Jennifer
abuse and intimidation of lieves that all of these re- chose never to work with diately respond to messag- Lawrence and George
women — almost always lationships were consen- him again and warn others es. Disney, which owns Mi- Clooney. Congressional
young actresses trying to sual,” said Hofmeister. “Mr. when they did,” Jolie said in ramax, also didn’t respond Democrats, including Sen-
succeed in movies. Weinstein has begun coun- an email to the Times. “This Tuesday. Disney purchased ate Minority Leader Chuck
Lucia Evans, then a senior seling, has listened to the behavior towards women Miramax in 1993; the Wein- Schumer and Massachu-
at Middlebury College, community and is pursuing in any field, any country is steins departed in 2005 to setts Senator Elizabeth
said Weinstein forced her a better path. Mr. Weinstein unacceptable.” found The Weinstein Co. Warren, have given chari-
to perform oral sex on him is hoping that, if he makes Representatives for the ac- “Fired (the) Weinsteins be- ties thousands of dollars
in 2004 at the Miramax of- enough progress, he will be tresses involved in both re- cause they were irrespon- in donations they had re-
fices in Tribeca. She had given a second chance.” ports did not immediately sible, and Harvey was an ceived from Weinstein.
been brought in for a cast- The New Yorker story, writ- return messages seeking incorrigible bully,” said for- In a statement on Twitter
ing meeting with Weinstein. ten and researched by the comment. mer Disney chief executive on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton
Argento, an actress and di- NBC correspondent Ronan The Italian news agency Michael Eisner on Twitter on said she was “shocked and
rector, said Weinstein forc- Farrow, claimed that thir- ANSA said it contacted Ar- Tuesday. “Had no idea he appalled” by the revela-
ibly performed oral sex on teen women have said gento about the story, and was capable of these hor- tions about Weinstein. She
her at the Cannes Film Fes- Weinstein sexually harassed said she responded with rible actions.” praised the women com-
tival in 1999. A third woman or assaulted them be- a text message that read: The New Yorker also re- ing forward: “Their courage
spoke anonymously. tween 1990 and 2015. The “It’s all true, everything is vealed an audio record- and the support of others is
“I know he has crushed a incidents described range written in the New Yorker. ing made by the New York critical in helping to stop
lot of people before,” Ar- from unwanted groping to Now leave me in peace.” Police Department in 2015 this kind of behavior.”q