LOS ANGELES • Actor Emile Hirsch, 30, was sentenced to two weeks in jail after pleading guilty to assaulting a Paramount movie executive during the Sundance Film Festival, the media reported on Monday.

At a hearing in the Utah city that hosts the famous festival, the Into The Wild star was also fined US$4,750 (S$6,680) and sentenced to 50 hours of community service for attacking Ms Daniele Bernfeld at a disco in Park City in January.

The actor, who earlier said he was drunk and does not recall the incident, said there was "no excuse".

"It was wrong, reckless. I thought I was going to die," he added. He recently went into rehabilitation for alcohol addiction.

According to court documents, he was intoxicated when he approached Ms Bernfeld at about 3.15am and grabbed her. A short time later, he put her in a chokehold and pulled her over a table and onto the floor, landing on top of her with his hands around her neck. He apologised to her later.

He is known for taking on edgy roles, such as Aids and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights activist Cleve Jones in Milk, the 2008 film about the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS