Engulfed in a scandal that involves charges of sexual harassment and rape, trouble for famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein only seem to be growing.
A week after a New York Times expose` detailed decades of Weinstein's alleged inappropriate behavior towards women, an audio clip of Weinstein with a model in 2015 has been released by the New Yorker, courtesy the New York Police Department sting operation conducted after the said model Gutierrez alleged charges of sexual assault on Weinstein. He was not charged with a crime.
The new audio shows how the producer tried to coerce model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez to go into his hotel room with him in 2015.
Here is part of the exchange, as heard in a video posted on the New Yorker website
Weinstein: Nothing. I’m gonna take a shower, you sit there and have a drink. Water.
Gutierrez: I don’t drink.
Weinstein: Then have a glass of water.
Gutierrez: Can I stay on the bar?
Weinstein: No. You must come here now.
Gutierrez: No…
Weinstein: Please?
Gutierrez: No, I don’t want to.
Weinstein: I’m not doing anything with you, I promise. Now you’re embarrassing me.
Gutierrez: I know, I don’t want to. I’m sorry. I cannot.
Weinstein: No, come in here.
Gutierrez: No, yesterday was kind of aggressive for me.
Weinstein: I know.
Gutierrez: I need to know a person to be touched.
Weinstein: I won’t do a thing.
Gutierrez: I don’t want to be touched.
Weinstein: I swear I won’t, just sit with me. Don’t embarrass me in the hotel. I’m here all the time.
Gutierrez: I know, but I don’t want to.
Weinstein: Sit with me, I promise—Please sit there. Please. One minute, I ask you.
Gutierrez: No, I can’t.
Weinstein: Go to the bathroom.
Gutierrez: Please, I don’t want to do something I don’t want to do.
Weinstein: Go to the bath—hey, come here. Listen to me.
Gutierrez: I want to go downstairs.
Weinstein: I’m not gonna do anything, you’ll never see me again after this. Ok? That’s it. If you embarrass me in this hotel, where I’m staying at—
Gutierrez: I’m not embarrassing you.
Weinstein: Just walk—
Gutierrez: It’s just that I don’t, I don’t feel comfortable.
Weinstein: Honey, don’t have a fight with me in the hallway.
Gutierrez: It’s not nothing, it’s—
Weinstein: Please, I’m not gonna do anything. I swear on my children. Please come in. On everything, I’m a famous guy.
Gutierrez: I’m feeling very uncomfortable right now.
Weinstein: Please come in now. And one minute. And if you wanna leave, when the guy comes with my jacket you can go.
Gutierrez: Why yesterday you touch my breast?
Weinstein: Oh, please I’m sorry just come in. I’m used to that.
Gutierrez: You’re used to that?
Weinstein: Yes, come in.
(Transcript taken from The New Yorker)
According to The New Yorker, Gutierrez says Weinstein "lunged at her, groping her breasts and attempting to put a hand up her skirt" at a meeting in his offices in Tribeca.
The 65-year-old movie mogul was accused of rape by Italian film star Asia Argento and two other women. The allegations which later seemed to be corroborated with accounts of A-listers Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow intensified the scandal around the Oscar-winning producer.
Weinstein is now bereft of his BAFTA membership and could soon be stripped off of his Oscar award, thanks to the serious allegations and the growing chorus by Hollywood against the producer. Soon after the reports became public, Weinstein's wife Georgina Chapman said she has decided to leave him.
The 41-year-old actor-designer, who as per Weinstein stood "100 percent" behind him in wake of the scandal, said she is heartbroken for the women who have suffered at the hands of her husband.
"My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions. I have chosen to leave my husband.
Post the controversy, Weinstein was also sacked from The Weinstein Company (TWC) as co-chairman.
