Weinstein's a 'monster,' says actress Salma Hayek

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Actress Salma Hayek has called disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein a "monster" in a New York Times article.

She is the latest of more than 50 Hollywood women who have made sexual misconduct claims against Weinstein, who has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone.

"For years, he was my monster," Hayek wrote in the opinion piece in which she included descriptions of sexual harassment, bullying and threats.

Holly Baird, a spokeswoman for the producer, said by email on Wednesday that she could not immediately provide a comment.

Hayek wrote in Tuesday's article that she was inspired to share her experiences after other women came forward. Her account largely focused on the time she was involved with making the 2002 film, "Frida," in which she portrayed Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

The Mexican-born actress wrote that she was pleased to have the opportunity to work with Weinstein and Miramax, which he then owned, because it was "synonymous with quality, sophistication and risk taking in films." But, she wrote, she found herself rebuffing sexual advances and requests from Weinstein.

Film producer Harvey Weinstein. /Reuters file photo

"No to letting him give me oral sex," Hayek wrote as one of several examples. "And with every refusal came Harvey’s Machiavellian rage."

Hayek wrote that Weinstein was threatening to shut down the production of "Frida" and that he pressured her into doing a sex scene with another woman in the film. Hayek said that when she went to film the scene, "... for the first and last time in my career, I had a nervous breakdown."

The actress, who called Weinstein a "passionate cinephile, a risk taker, a patron of talent in film, a loving father and a monster," wrote, "I never showed Harvey how terrified I was of him.

"Until there is equality in our industry, with men and women having the same value in every aspect of it, our community will continue to be a fertile ground for predators."

Police in New York, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and London have said they are investigating allegations of sexual assault or rape by Weinstein.

Source(s): Reuters