Harvey Weinstein Responds to Salma Hayek's Claims of Harassment
Film/TV

Harvey Weinstein Responds to Salma Hayek's Claims of Harassment

In a bizarre twist to the horrifying allegations brought forth against Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced producer's spokespeople have only responded to two of the 90-odd women accusing him of harassment or assault — actresses of color Lupita Nyong'o and Salma Hayek.

Hayek and Nyong'o both wrote op-eds in the New York Times detailing just how Weinstein terrorized them. Hayek's chilling account was published on Tuesday, revealing how the movie mogul threatened to kill her on the set of 2002's Frida when she did not respond positively to his advances (massages, oral sex, showering with or for him and getting naked with other women), he also claimed her "sex appeal" was all she had to offer Hollywood. Nyong'o shared a similar story of massages and threats after The New York Timesand The New Yorker respectively broke stories of Weinstein's long term misconduct.

Related | Harvey Weinstein Now Accused of Sex Trafficking

Today, Weinstein, or more accurately, Weinstein's "people," addressed to Hayek's claims, just as they did with Nyong'o. These are the only two women Weinstein has responded to individually after releasing and reiterating a blanket statement that specified he "came-of-age" in a different time (when men could openly disrespect women) and he never engaged in sexual intercourse with a woman against her will.

"Mr. Weinstein does not recall pressuring Salma to do a gratuitous sex scene with a female costar and he was not there for the filming," Weinstein's rep said in a statement. "However, that was part of the story, as Frida Kahlo was bisexual and the more significant sex scene in the movie was choreographed by Ms. Hayek with Geoffrey Rush."

After The Times published Nyongo's essay, Weinstein responded similarly. "Mr. Weinstein has a different recollection of the events, but believes Lupita is a brilliant actress and a major force for the industry," the statement reads. "Last year, she sent a personal invitation to Mr. Weinstein to see her in her Broadway show Eclipsed."

It's certainly interesting to see the two women whose claims Weinstein felt the need to deny were women of color, which is either the purest example of racism or seems to be a very strategic PR attempt at political correctness. So likely both. Well, Weinstein can counter the allegations of two women all he wants, there are dozens of others waiting for a response — or see him burn.

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