In a recent op-ed, Salma Hayek courageously shared her deeply disturbing experience with Harvey Weinstein during the production of “Frida.”
Salma Hayek has joined the chorus of brave women speaking out against Harvey Weinstein, describing him as “my monster too”.
In a compelling op-ed published in The New York Times, Hayek recounted his journey while directing “Frida,” the 2002 film chronicling the life of famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. This project, which she both produced and starred in, was developed under the banner of Weinstein’s former company, Miramax.
After gaining Weinstein’s support for the film, Hayek revealed, “It would be my turn to say no.” The disgraced movie mogul harassed her relentlessly, with unwanted visits to her door at all hours, at various hotels and venues. She recounted his repeated indecent propositions, which included requests to share a shower, provide a massage, engage in oral sex, and more.
With each refusal, Hayek noted, “Harvey’s Machiavellian rage” surfaced. It became clear that Weinstein hated the word “no” more than anything else.
Harvey Weinstein has faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, and in some cases, assault, from a multitude of women, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Annabella Sciorra and others.
In response to Hayek’s claims, a spokesperson for Weinstein issued a lengthy statement to ABC News, disputing his account (the full statement can be found at the end of this article).
Salma Hayek revealed that Weinstein went so far as to threaten to take away her script and role in ‘Frida.’ He made seemingly insurmountable demands, like raising $10 million and finding a top director — all of which she met to secure the film’s sequel.
Once filming began, she noted, “The sexual harassment stopped but the rage intensified.” Weinstein insisted that she participate in an entirely sexual scene with co-star Ashley Judd and, as Hayek said, “It was clear to me that he was never going to let me finish this movie without him having his fantasy in one way or another.”
Reluctantly, the actress agreed, although she suffered a nervous breakdown while filming the scene. She had to distance herself from the project once filming was completed. Despite these challenges, “Frida” received six Academy Award nominations and two Academy Awards. Surprisingly, Weinstein never offered her another starring role for the remainder of her contract with Miramax.
Hayek raised a poignant question in her editorial: “Why do so many of us, as women artists, have to go to war to tell our stories when we have so much to offer? Why do we have to fight tooth and nail to maintain our dignity? » She highlighted the devaluation of women in the industry to an unacceptable level, emphasizing that true equality in the field is essential to thwart predatory behavior.
A spokesperson for Harvey Weinstein released the following statement:
Mr. Weinstein holds Salma Hayek in high regard as a first-rate actress, casting her in several of his films, including “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Dogma” and “Studio 54.” He is extremely proud of her Best Actress Oscar nomination for “Frida” and continues to support her work.
Although Jennifer Lopez expressed interest in the role of Frida and was a bigger star at the time, Mr. Weinstein backed Salma as a lead, overriding other investors. Miramax provided half the budget and covered all advertising and promotional expenses; the total budget exceeded $12 million. As with most collaborative projects, creative conflicts arose during the making of “Frida,” ultimately leading to a superior final product. The film was widely released, accompanied by an extensive Oscar campaign.
Mr. Weinstein disputes any memory of pressuring Salma to engage in a gratuitous sex scene with a female co-star because he was not present during filming. However, it is important to note that Frida Kahlo’s depiction of bisexuality included a major sex scene choreographed by Ms. Hayek and Geoffrey Rush. The allegations made by Salma regarding sexual misconduct do not match the accounts of others who witnessed the events.
Ed Norton, who was Ms. Hayek’s boyfriend at the time, helped rewrite the script while working with Mr. Weinstein in Mexico. Despite Mr. Weinstein’s efforts to secure Norton credit for his work with the Writers Guild of America (WGA), this attempt proved unsuccessful, much to everyone’s disappointment.
Mr. Weinstein himself admitted that his abrupt behavior after the screening of “Frida” was attributed to his dissatisfaction with the editing of the film. He played an active role in the final editing process alongside talented director Julie Taymor.
