Asia Argento Responds To Sexual Assault Accusations
MARINA DEL REY, CA – Asia Argento, a leading figure in the #MeToo movement who accused defamed producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, has responded to allegations she sexually abused a teen actor in 2013 and paid him to keep quiet about the alleged abuse.
Argento sent her statement to freelance journalist Yashar Ali, and said she strongly denies and opposes the accusations made in the New York Times article.
“I am deeply shocked and hurt by having read news that is absolutely false,” she wrote. “I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett.”
The New York Times report alleged that Argento paid $380,000 to Jimmy Bennett when he raised sexual assault allegations against her last year. According to the report, the pair stayed in touch after working together on a film in 2004 and met for a reunion in 2013 at the Marina del Rey Ritz-Carlton. During that meeting, Argento allegedly kissed the then-17-year-old actor, performed oral sex and engaged in sexual intercourse with him, the New York Times reported.
The actress said that she was linked to Bennett through friendship only, which ended when Bennett, who was going through money troubles, unexpectedly asked for an exorbitant amount of money from her.
Argento’s boyfriend, the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, handled the matter privately, as he was “afraid of the possible negative publicly that such a person, whom he considered dangerous, could have brought upon us,” she said.
Argento and Bourdain decided to “deal compassionately with Bennett’s demand for help,” and Bourdain personally helped him with his financial struggles, the actress said.
You can read Argento’s full statement below:
Bennett’s lawyer Gordon K. Sattro, released the following statement to Vanity Fair Monday on behalf of his client:
“At this time, our client, Jimmy Bennett, does not wish to comment on the documents or the events discussed in the New York Times article yesterday evening. While we realize that the news cycle demands an immediate response, many times, people need more than a few minutes or hours to respond. We are asking that you give our client some time and space. Jimmy is going to take the next 24 hours, or longer, to prepare his response. We ask that you respect our client’s privacy during this time.”
The actress told The New Yorker late last year that Weinstein gave her oral sex against her will in 1997 at a hotel on the French Riviera when she was 21-years-old. Weinstein’s attorney, Ben Brafman, issued a statement Monday saying the revelations about Argento and Bennett show the “stunning level of hypocrisy” by the actress.
“What is perhaps most egregious is the time, which suggests that at the very same time Argento was working on her own secret settlement for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor, she was positioning herself at the forefront of those condemning Mr. Weinstein, despite the fact that her sexual relationship with Mr. Weinstein was between two consenting adults which lasted for more than four years,” Brafman said.
Rose McGowan, another leader in the #MeToo movement and friend of Argento, took to Twitter Monday to support the actress.
“I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere,” the actress wrote. “None of us know the truth of the situation and I’m sure more will be revealed. Be gentle.”
City News Service contributed to this report; Photo: CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 19: Asia Argento attends the screening of ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ and the Closing Ceremony during the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2018 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for Kering)