Harvey Weinstein "does not recall pressuring" Salma Hayek to do a "gratuitous sex scene".
The movie mogul has spoken out after the 51-year-old actress accused the producer of sexually harassing her a number of times after she struck a deal to work with him on 2002 movie ‘Frida’, in which she played Frida Kahlo.
In a statement obtained by Deadline, a spokesperson on behalf of Harvey said: "Mr. Weinstein does not recall pressuring Salma to do a gratuitous sex scene with a female co-star and he was not there for the filming. However, that was part of the story, as Frida Kahlo was bisexual and the more significant sex scene in the movie was choreographed by Ms. Hayek with Geoffrey Rush. The original uni-brow used was an issue because it diverted attention from the performances. All of the sexual allegations as portrayed by Salma are not accurate and others who witnessed the events have a different account of what transpired.
"Ed Norton, who was Ms. Hayek’s boyfriend at the time, [worked with Mr. Weinstein on the rewrite of the script in Mexico] did a brilliant job of rewriting the script and Mr. Weinstein battled the WGA to get him a credit on the film. His effort was unsuccessful to everyone’s disappointment.
"By Mr. Weinstein’s own admission, his boorish behaviour following a screening of "Frida" was prompted by his disappointment in the cut of the movie – and a reason he took a firm hand in the final edit, alongside the very skilled director Julie Taymor."
Salma has claimed Harvey "demanded" she do a "full-frontal nudity" sex scene for the film, and that he "had been constantly asking for more skin, for more sex".
She claims when she arrived on set to perform the scene she "had a nervous breakdown", adding: "My body began to shake uncontrollably, my breath was short and I began to cry and cry, unable to stop, as if I were throwing up tears."
Salma has also alleged she was forced to turn down offers for a number of scenarios Harvey allegedly asked her to be involved in, including "letting him give [her] a massage" and "letting him give [her] oral sex".
She said: "When so many women came forward to describe what Harvey had done to them, I had to confront my cowardice and humbly accept that my story, as important as it was to me, was nothing but a drop in an ocean of sorrow and confusion. I felt that by now nobody would care about my pain – maybe this was an effect of the many times I was told, especially by Harvey, that I was nobody.
"I was so excited to work with him and that company. In my naïveté, I thought my dream had come true. He had validated the last 14 years of my life. He had taken a chance on me – a nobody. He had said yes.
"Little did I know it would become my turn to say no. No to opening the door to him at all hours of the night, hotel after hotel, location after location, where he would show up unexpectedly, including one location where I was doing a movie he wasn’t even involved with. No to me taking a shower with him. No to letting him watch me take a shower. No to letting him give me a massage. No to letting a naked friend of his give me a massage. No to letting him give me oral sex. No to my getting naked with another woman. No, no, no, no, no."
Harvey has been accused of sexual harassment by more than 80 women, but has "unequivocally denied" allegations of non-consensual relationships.
Harvey Weinstein responds to Salma Hayek claims
