Harvey Weinstein had a very, very bad week

He’s mostly fallen out of the news cycle these days but Harvey Weinstein definitely had a bad week. On Monday, actress Ashley Judd sued Weinstein claiming he destroyed her career.

Advertisement

“I lost career opportunity. I lost money. I lost status and prestige and power in my career as a direct result of having been sexually harassed and rebuffing the sexual harassment,” Judd told ABC News today. “My career opportunities, after having been defamed by Harvey Weinstein, were significantly diminished. … My career was damaged because I rebuffed Mr. Weinstein’s sexual advances. I know it for a fact.”

Also on Monday, Netflix producer Alexandra Canosa filed an update to her $10 million lawsuit against Weinstein, adding a host of specific claims about five years of alleged harassment, threats, and even rape by Weinstein:

She said Weinstein “constantly threatened” her and “made it clear that if she did not succumb to his demands for sexual contact or if she exposed his unwanted conduct there would be retaliation, including humiliation, the loss of her job and loss of any ability to work in the entertainment business,” according to documents filed Monday (April 30).

The misconduct included sexual and physical assault and multiple instances of rape between 2010 and 2015, according to the updated filing.

On Wednesday Variety released an interview with actress Cate Blanchett in which she suggested she too had been sexually harassed by Weinstein:

Have you ever been sexually harassed?
Well, there’s layers and layers to sexual harassment. I’ve been pestered, of course. I don’t know that there are many people who haven’t been.

You worked on a number of movies with Harvey Weinstein going back to “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Did he ever sexually harass you or act inappropriately?
With me, yes. I think he really primarily preyed, like most predators, on the vulnerable. I mean I got a bad feeling from him. … He would often say to me, “We’re not friends.”

What did he mean by that?
Well, I wouldn’t do what he was asking me to do. [When asked to clarify, Blanchett declined to specify.]

Advertisement

On Thursday, CNN reported that an accuser in Los Angeles could become the first actual case against Weinstein brought to trial:

Her accusations of rape against Harvey Weinstein are among five such cases under review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney. Of those cases, Jenny is considered the one with the most potential to lead to criminal charges, a source with knowledge of the case told CNN…

Jenny accuses Weinstein of coming to her hotel room “without warning” after a brief encounter at the Italia Film, Fashion and Art Fest in February 2013.

“He… bullied his way into my hotel room, saying, ‘I’m not going to [have sex with] you, I just want to talk,” she told The Times. “Once inside, he asked me questions about myself, but soon became very aggressive and demanding and kept asking to see me naked.”

Jenny told the paper she begged him to go away, but that he “grabbed me by the hair and forced me to do something I did not want to do,” she said. “He then dragged me to the bathroom and forcibly raped me.”

Also on Thursday a site called the Blast reported a grand jury seemed to be making moves in a case involving Weinstein:

The criminal case against Harvey Weinstein in New York may be coming to a head, because we are told subpoenas have been sent out for some of his closest advisors to appear before a grand jury.

According to sources familiar with the case, subpoenas were sent by the Manhattan District Attorney in New York and specifically said the person receiving the document would be a “witness to attend the grand jury.” However, we’re told some instances documents could be sent in lieu of appearing and testifying in person.

Advertisement

So the question now seems to be which jurisdiction, LA or New York, is going to wind up charging him first. All in all, a very bad week to be Harvey Weinstein. The good news is that it’s likely to get even worse for him very soon.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Ed Morrissey 12:40 PM | December 16, 2024
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement