Alison Steadman claims she was ‘not the least bit surprised’ by the Harvey Weinstein scandal after her ‘absolutely terrible’ experience with the disgraced mogul.
The Gavin and Stacey actress, 78, recalled how the producer ‘didn’t want to talk’ and even went as far as ignoring her because she was ‘not a name’.
Harvey, 72, became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women went public with stories about his behavior.
He was convicted of a series of sex offenses in New York and Los Angeles and served a 23-year prison sentence before the charges were overturned after an appeals court ruled the judge in the first trial had made a “critical” error.
Speak with The times Alison recalled the incident when the film producer came to see her in the West End play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice in 1993, which won her an Olivier Award.
Alison Steadman, 78, claims she was ‘not the least bit surprised’ by the Harvey Weinstein scandal after her ‘absolutely terrible’ experience with the disgraced mogul
Convinced rapist Harvey became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women went public with stories about his behavior (pictured earlier this month)
Alison recalled the incident when the film producer came to see her in the West End play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice in 1993, which won her an Olivier Award (pictured in the play with co-star Pete Postlewaite).
However, she said Harvey just looked at her: “I was like, ‘What’s going on? You just saw the show and I was in it.’ He didn’t want to talk to me. The next day [her co-star] Jane Horrocks said: “Isn’t it great that we’re making a film version?” I said, “I don’t think so.” I wasn’t a name, I wasn’t nominated for a Golden Globe.”
The role of Mari Hoff in the 1998 big-screen adaptation was ultimately played by Brenda Blethyn, 78, who was nominated for an Oscar.
Then she stood next to Harvey at the Baftas: ‘He looked at me again. If he had ignored me that would have been one thing, but it was like he made sure he told me, ‘I’m not going. to use you”.
‘It was absolutely terrible. So when I heard all these things about him, I thought, ‘I’m not surprised at all.’
Actress Minnie Driver had a similar story and said her star-making turn in Good Will Hunting almost didn’t happen after that Harvey Weinstein objected to her presence in the film.
Claiming that the convicted sex offender said prior to production that “no one would want to fuck her.”
Last week, Harvey pleaded not guilty to new sex crime charges from an accuser who never publicly told her story but claims she is now ready to speak her truth at trial.
While awaiting a new trial on other sex charges in a landmark #MeToo case, he pleaded not guilty to a new charge of forcing oral sex on a woman at a Manhattan hotel in the spring of 2006.
She said: ‘I was like, ‘What’s going on? You’ve just seen the show and I was in it’. He didn’t want to talk to me. The next day [her co-star] Jane Horrocks said: “Isn’t it great that we’re making a film version?” I Said “I Don’t Think That’s Me” (pictured in 1993 Oliviers with Nigel Havers)
Then she stood next to Harvey at the Baftas: ‘He looked at me again. If he had ignored me that would have been one thing, but it was like he made sure he told me, ‘I’m not going. to use you”
The role of Mari Hoff in the 1998 big screen adaptation was ultimately played by Brenda Blethyn (R) 78, who was nominated for an Oscar
Alison said: ‘It was absolutely awful. So when I heard all these things about him, I thought, ‘I’m not surprised at all.’
Prosecutors have not released any details about the woman and Weinstein’s attorney said he has no idea who she is, but an attorney said she represents the woman and that she never made her accusation public.
“She will be fully prepared to speak her truth at trial and hold Weinstein accountable before a jury of his peers,” attorney Lindsay Goldbrum said in a statement.
She said the woman did not want to be identified at this time, and the law firm declined to comment further about her or her accusation.
According to the indictment and another court document, the alleged assault — the specific charge is a “criminal sexual act” — took place at a Lower Manhattan hotel between April 29, 2006, and May 6 of that year.
Weinstein, co-founder of film and television production company Miramax, has long maintained that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity.
Defense attorney Arthur Aidala reiterated Wednesday that his client “has never forced himself on anyone.”
Aidala said he had “absolutely no idea” about the identity of the accuser or the details of the accusation.
‘We have a lot of work to do. We need to find out who that person is. We have to do an investigation,” he said outside court.
Weinstein, who is recovering from emergency surgery, arrived in court in a wheelchair, carrying two novels, and appeared to be watching the proceedings intently.