A Canadian actress is suing Disney over claims she was sexually assaulted by disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein while working on a production for his company Miramax – which was owned by the family friendly studios at the time.
The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, is demanding $4 million in damages in the lawsuit, which names both Disney and Weinstein.
In the suit, she alleges that the Hollywood producer had exposed himself, before he ‘forced down her skirt and held her down by her wrists’,’ The Sunday Times reports. She reported the incident to police in Toronto.
A Canadian actress is suing Disney over claims she was sexually assaulted by disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein (pictured) while working on a production for his company Miramax – which was owned by the family friendly studios at the time
She described how she suffered pain and psychological distress during the attack and afterwards, leaving her with anxiety, depression and nightmares.
The actress is among the more than 60 women to come forward to accuse of Weinstein of sexual abuse or harassment since the New York Times expose that rocked Hollywood to its core last month.
At least 18 of those alleged attacks are said to have occurred while Weinstein’s Miramax company was owned by Disney between 1993 and 2005. While the number is actually likely to be higher as many of the women who have come forward haven’t revealed the date of their alleged sexual assault.
It was during that period that Weinstein reportedly paid $100,000 in ‘hush money’ to actress Rose McGowan regarding an incident which occurred in a hotel room at the Sundance film festival in Utah in 1997.
Since the scandal broke, McGowan has accused Weinstein of raping her, and has become one of his most vocal accusers.
The Canadian woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, is demanding $4 million in damages in the lawsuit, which names both Disney and Weinstein
Disney owned Miramax between 1993 and 2010, and Weinstein owned and produced for the subsidiary until he was fired in 2005
It was during that period that Weinstein reportedly paid $100,000 in ‘hush money’ to actress Rose McGowan regarding an incident which occurred in a hotel room at the Sundance film festival in Utah in 1997
Disney executives have denied any knowledge of sexual assault complaints or payouts involving the producer while Miramax was a subsidiary.
A Disney spokesman told The Sunday Times: ‘The Weinsteins operated and managed their business with virtual autonomy, and we were unaware of any complaints, lawsuits or settlements.
‘There is absolutely no legal basis for this claim [the Canadian damages] against the Walt Disney Company and we will defend against it vigorously.’
Last month, Michael Eisner, chief executive of Disney during the Miramax period, had tweeted: ‘Fired Weinsteins [brothers Harvey and Bob] because they were irresponsible, and Harvey was an incorrigible bully. Had no idea he was capable of these horrible actions.’
However, many have questioned the claim, pointing out that the producer’s behavior was an ‘open secret’ in Hollywood.
The Social Advocacy group said: ‘You worked in town right? You ate lunch here. Drinks. And never heard? Time will reveal all. @disney will have time in the barrel soon.’
Disney has been caught up in the scandal previously after its animation chief John Lasseter announced earlier this month, that he was taking a six-month leave of absence over an internal memo that he had made staff feel ‘disrespected or uncomfortable’ with unwanted hugs
‘It was an open secret in the entertainment industry — a running joke even. Everyone knew, they just ignored the elephant in the room,’ another said. ‘Who are you trying to fool?’ asked a third.
A former HR employee for Disney told the Huffington Post: ‘It was a known secret that the sexual harassment was part of his deal.’
Weinstein and his brother Bob were fired by Disney but then set up another firm, the Weinstein Company, where the abuse is said to have continued.
Disney remained the owner of Miramax until 2010. Meanwhile, Harvey Weinstein was fired from his company last month after the allegations first emerged.
Weinstein’s spokesperson Sallie Hofmeister said her client denies any allegations of non-consensual sex.
‘Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein,’ she said in a statement.
‘Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. 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. Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path. Mr. Weinstein is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance.’
Rose McGowan posted a selfie to Instagram with Asia Argento and Annabella Scorria late Friday evening with the hashtag #RoseArmy just a day after Uma Thurman broke her silence and came out against accused sexual abuser Harvey Weinstein
On Thursday, Thurman was ready to share her soundbite – and there was plenty of fury
The posts came just a day after Pulp Fiction star Uma Thurman broke her silence about her experiences with Weinstein. Thurman and Weinstein are pictured together in 2016
Since then, dozens of high profile actresses have claimed they were sexually assaulted or harassed by Weinstein, including Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow, while Uma Thurman has also hinted that she has claims against him.
The allegations have also opened the door to claims against a myriad of other powerful men in Hollywood including director Brett Ratner and actor Kevin Spacey.
Disney has been caught up in the scandal previously after its animation chief John Lasseter announced earlier this month, that he was taking a six-month leave of absence over an internal memo that he had made staff feel ‘disrespected or uncomfortable’ with unwanted hugs.
The 60-year-old executive, best known for transforming Pixar from a small graphics department at Lucasfilm into the most successful animation studio in the world, was the pioneering director of ‘Toy Story’ and ‘Toy Story 2.’
Lasseter apologized to ‘anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape, or form,’ in the internal memo, forwarded by the entertainment giant to AFP.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker and senior executive admitted he had been ‘falling short’ in ensuring a culture of ‘trust and respect’ at his animation studios.
‘I’ve recently had a number of difficult conversations that have been very painful for me. It’s never easy to face your missteps, but it’s the only way to learn from them,’ he said.
‘We are committed to maintaining an environment in which all employees are respected and empowered to do their best work,’ a Disney spokesman said in a statement.
‘We appreciate John’s candor and sincere apology and fully support his sabbatical.’