Harvey Weinstein is suing the company he founded in a bid to force it to hand over documents which he claims will exonerate him from accusations of sexual harassment and assault.
The disgraced producer was fired on October 6 by The Weinstein Company, which he built up with his brother, Bob. He is now taking legal action to access emails and other papers.
A lawsuit he filed yesterday claims: “Mr Weinstein believes that his email account — which is the primary, if not only, account he used during the term of his employment by the company — will contain information exonerating him, and therefore the company, from claims that may be asserted against him or the company.”
The firm is, in turn, seeking records from Weinstein as part of an internal investigation launched in the wake of accusations made by as many as 50 women, ranging from harassment to rape. Police in London, New York and Los Angeles are investigating these.
US actress Dominique Huett, who accused Weinstein, 65, of sexually abusing her in 2010, has filed a $5 million (£3.8 million) lawsuit against The Weinstein Company, claiming it “condoned and enabled” his behaviour.
Weinstein has denied any non-consensual contact. He and his brother started the firm in 2005 after leaving Miramax Films, which they set up in 1979. Neither Harvey Weinstein nor the firm were available to comment today.
Yesterday, Selma Blair and Rachel McAdams came forward to accuse US director and screenwriter James Toback of sexual harassment. In interviews with Vanity Fair magazine, the stars described their alleged ordeals.
Blair, 45, who broke out in 1999’s Cruel Intentions and later starred in TV’s Anger Management, claimed Toback asked her to audition for a role in the nude and then asked if she would let him rub up against her.
McAdams, 38, said she met Toback, now 72, to discuss a possible role in a film he was making, 2001’s Harvard Man.
However, the Canadian star of Mean Girls and Spotlight said the comments left her feeling uncomfortable.
“This has been such a source of shame for me — that I didn’t have the wherewithal to get up and leave,” she added.
The Los Angeles Times was the first to bring Toback’s alleged conduct to light.
He has denied meeting the women and claimed it was “biologically impossible” for him to take part in the behaviour described because of poor health.
Julianne Moore also shared her story of Toback allegedly propositioning her in the Eighties in New York.
The Oscar-winning US actress, 56, tweeted: “I refused. One month later he did it again with the EXACT same language. I said don’t u remember u did this before?”
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