Heather Graham is the latest to accuse movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of trying to force himself on her in exchange for a part in a movie – as five other women have accused the Hollywood executive of sexually assaulting them.
Following Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow’s accusations of sexual assault and harassment on Tuesday, Graham told Variety of a time she was propositioned by the mogul – and said he even bragged about how his wife would be okay with it.
She said that in the early 2000’s she met Weinstein at his office and was told that he wanted to cast her in one of his movies – offering her a pile of scripts on his desk to pick from.
Graham said that in a meeting with Weinstein in the early 2000s, the movie mogul bragged that he and his wife had an ‘agreement’ that he could sleep with whoever he wanted to while he was out of town. He was speaking of his first wife Eve Chilton, who he is pictured with in 1997. The two divorced in 2004
Heather Graham is the latest to accuse movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of trying to force himself on her in exchange for a part in a movie – as five other women have accused the Hollywood executive of sexually assaulting them. She is pictured with him in 2004
‘He offered to let me pick which one I liked best,’ the 47-year-old Portlandia actress explained.
‘Later in the conversation, he mentioned he had an agreement with his wife,’ Graham said, detailing how the meeting grew increasingly uncomfortable.
‘He said He could sleep with whomever he wanted when he was out of town. I walked out of the meeting feeling uneasy.
‘There was no explicit mention that to star in one of those films I had to sleep with him, but the subtext was there.’
The wife Weinstein would have been referring to was Eve Chilton who he married in 1987 and divorced in 2004.
And as to why she is just now telling her story – Graham said she knew he never explicitly offered a trade of sex or work, and she didn’t want to be attacked for reading into something that ‘may or may not have been there’. The 47-year-old is pictured at the San Diego International Film Festival on October 5
Graham went on to explain that she was asked for a follow-up meeting to discuss their work together in more depth – and said she was invited to his hotel.
She said she felt uncomfortable at the invitation – and asked one of her other actress friends to come with her.
When that friend cancelled, she called Weinstein to tell him she couldn’t make it.
‘Not wanting to be at the hotel along with him, I made up an excuse – I had an early morning and would have to postpone,’ she told Variety.
‘Harvey told me that my actress friend was already at his hotel and that both of them would be very disappointed if I didn’t show. I knew he was lying, so I politely and apologetically reiterated that I could no longer come by.’
After that, Graham said the encounter was over and she was never hired.
And as to why she is just now telling her story – she said she knew he never explicitly offered a trade of sex or work, and she didn’t want to be attacked for reading into something that ‘may or may not have been there.’
Angelina Jolie (above in September) said that she never worked with Weinstein again after her made unwanted sexual advances on her while filming ‘Playing by Heart’
Victim: Gwyneth Paltrow was sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein (pair above in 2002) at the start of her career claims the actress, and had boyfriend Brad Pitt confront the producer
Leading lady: Paltrow arrived at Weinstein’s hotel and he began to massage her and then asked her to join him in the bedroom (above with Weinstein, Edward Zwick and her Best Actress Oscar in 1999)
More victims emerge: Asia Argento (above in 2004) says that Harvey Weinstein raped her in a hotel room at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc back in 1997
Mighty Harvey: Mira Sorvino says that Weinstein made sexual advances towards her back in 1995 in a hotel room and later by showing up to her apartment unannounced (Sorvino and her husband Chris Backus with Weinstein in 2006)
Support: Patricia Arquette tweeted her support for sister Rosanna on Tuesday (above)
Dam story: Rosanna Arquette says she met Weinstein in a hotel room and he asked her to give him a massage then tried to have her touch his erect penis (Arquette and Weinstein above in 2001)
On Tuesday more than five women came forward to detail sexual assault they say took place at the hands of Harvey Weinstein.
Italian star Asia Argento told the New Yorker that Weinstein raped her in 1997 at a party hosted by Miramax at the Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc. She claims the mogul led her to an empty room and asked her to give him a massage.
She reluctantly agreed, and halfway through he began to perform oral sex on her after forcibly lifting up her skirt despite her repeated requests for him to stop. Aspiring actress Lucia Evans and another unnamed woman accused him of rape as well, according to the article.
Jolie was promoting her film ‘Playing By Heart’ in 1998 when Weinstein made unwanted advances on the then 23-year-old in a hotel room.
‘I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did,’ Jolie told the New York Times.
‘This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.’
Paltrow meanwhile said that the man who launched her career sexually harassed her at his Beverly Hills hotel when she was just 22, and that it almost lost her a big role.
Rosanna Arquette and Mira Sorvino also state that the powerful Hollywood executive forced himself upon them, but that they were able to fight off his sexual advances.
Soon after, the two women say their careers began to suffer.
What the stars are saying about the disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein
Jennifer Lawrence stated although she had not witnessed Weinstein’s inappropriate acts herself, she still condemned the producer
Matt Damon: ‘As the father of four daughters, this is the kind of sexual predation that keeps me up at night. This is the great fear for all of us. I did five or six movies with Harvey. I never saw this. I feel horrible for these women and it’s wonderful they have this incredible courage and are standing up now. We can all feel this change that’s happening, which is necessary and overdue.’
Ben Affleck: ‘I am saddened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades’
Nicole Kidman: ‘As I’ve stated before publicly, I support and applaud all women and these women who speak out against any abuse and misuse of power – be it domestic violence or sexual harassment in the workforce. We need to eradicate this behavior.’
George Clooney: ‘I suppose the argument would be that it’s not just about Hollywood, but about all of us-that every time you see someone using their power and influence to take advantage of someone without power and influence and you don’t speak up, you’re complicit.’
Jennifer Lawrence: ‘I was deeply disturbed to hear the news about Harvey Weinstein’s behavior. This kind of abuse is inexcusable and absolutely upsetting.’
Kate Winslet: ‘His behaviour is without question disgraceful and appalling and very, very wrong. I had hoped that these kind of stories were just made up rumours, maybe we have all been naïve.’
Meryl Streep: ‘The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported.’
Kate Winslet said Weinstein’s behavior was appalling and very wrong
Glenn Close: ‘I’m angry, not just at him and the conspiracy of silence around his actions, but also that the “casting couch” phenomenon, so to speak, is still a reality in our business and in the world: the horrible pressure, the awful expectation put on a woman when a powerful, egotistical, entitled bully expects sexual favors in exchange for a job.’
Judi Dench: ‘Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my film career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offences which are, of course, horrifying, and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out.’
Mark Ruffalo said it was a ‘disgusting abuse of power’
Romola Garai: ‘Like every other woman in the industry, I’ve had an “audition” with Harvey Weinstein. So I had to go to his hotel room in the Savoy and he answered the door in his bathrobe. I was only 18. I felt violated by it.’
Ashley Judd: ‘Women have been talking about Harvey amongst ourselves for a long time, and it’s simply beyond time to have the conversation publicly.’
Mark Ruffalo: ‘To be clear what Harvey Weinstein did was a disgusting abuse of power and horrible. I hope we are now seeing the beginning of the end of these abuses.’
James Gunn: ‘If even 1/10th of the stories about Harvey Weinstein are true (and I believe they are), then good f***ing riddance. That s***’s gotta stop.’
Lena Dunham: ‘Easy to think Weinstein company took swift action but this has actually been the slowest action because they always always knew.’
Susan Sarandon: ‘Huge respect for Ashley Judd and all the women who broke their silence for the article on Harvey Weinstein. Brave.’
Julianne Moore: ‘Coming forward about sexual abuse and coercion is scary and women have nothing to be gained personally by doing so. But through their bravery we move forward as a culture, and I thank them. Stand with Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan and others.’
Jessica Chastain: ‘I was warned from the beginning. The stories were everywhere. To deny that is to create an environment for it to happen again.’
Jeff Bridges: ‘I wish him the best struggling with his demons, but his behavior was terrible. And I wish him – just as being a fellow human being – we are all struggling with different things. And he can struggle with his and come out the other side.’
Kevin Smith: ‘He financed the first 14 years of my career – and now I know while I was profiting, others were in terrible pain. It makes me feel ashamed.’
Paul Feig: ‘There is no excuse for monsters like Harvey Weinstein. It’s up to all of us, men and women, to speak up against sexual harassment and abuse.’
Michael Keaton: ‘H Weinstein -yikes! Disgusting and creepy. So is “leader of the free world”, by the way.’
Heather Graham is one of a number of actors to speak out against Weinstein
Emmy Rossum: The ‘old dinosaur’ explanation doesn’t cut it. Decades of using power to intimidate women for sexual gain is reprehensible and inexcusable.’
Heather Graham: ‘Women speak out about sexual harassment and Harvey Weinstein gets fired. This is the best and most inspiring news story I have seen in a while.’
Judd Apatow: ‘What Harvey Weinstein did was abhorrent. He admits he did it. Why should anyone be silent in their disgust and support for his victims?’
Amber Tamblyn: ‘Heed the mantra and never forget: Women. Have. Nothing. To. Gain. And. Everything. To. Lose. By. Coming. Forward.’
Scott Derrickson: ‘I expect the Hollywood elite will remain largely silent about Weinstein. Me, I give zero f***s about any repercussions for condemning him.’
Brooklyn Decker: ‘We condemn “grab them by the p***y” and we condone this.’
Patricia Arquette: ‘If there is a way to cure yourself of being a predator than I hope Harvey learns what it is & shares it with the world. It’s an epidemic.’
Ryan Murphy: ‘In this society, most women have a Harvey Weinstein in their life. There is always a minefield you navigate when you’re a woman and go through the system of Hollywood. Sometimes you are lucky enough to have champions or people who aren’t interested in taking advantage of you, and sometimes you do not. I know my way around an Oscar-winning lady or two, and whenever he would come up in conversation, there was always this “ick” or “ugh” type of reaction. All of the women I spoke to would say that. All of them. I wondered what was up with that.’
