Weinstein faces class action lawsuit

LOS ANGELES • Wanted: law and order in Hollywood. With that aim in mind, an actress has filed a class action lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein, claiming that she and other women had been sexually attacked by the producer.

The suit, filed by "Jane Doe 1 and on behalf of all others similarly situated", said he assaulted the California actress as she auditioned for a role with Miramax, the studio co-founded by him.

"Weinstein told Jane Doe 1 that if she refused his advances and his requests, he would ruin her, and he ultimately withdrew the offer he had given her for a part because she would not accede to his advances," the suit added.

The complainant's lawyers appealed to other victims to join the action against the producer, The Weinstein Company and Miramax.

The actress is the latest of more than 100 women who have come forward to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

The action follows a lawsuit filed against Weinstein and The Weinstein Company on Tuesday by an unidentified actress.

Meanwhile, American actor Terry Crews has named high-powered agent Adam Venit as the man who allegedly groped him at a party.

"Back in February 2016, I was assaulted by Adam Venit, who is head of the motion picture department at William Morris Endeavour (WME), one of the biggest agencies in the world," Crews, 49, told ABC's Good Morning America.

Mr Venit has represented stars from Sylvester Stallone to Eddie Murphy.

WME has suspended Mr Venit to look into the claims by Crews, a star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 17, 2017, with the headline Weinstein faces class action lawsuit. Subscribe