A Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights actress has told a jury how the disgraced film maker Harvey Weinstein masturbated on her face and breasts while his assistant waited outside a hotel room.
On Tuesday (October 25), a woman testified at Los Angeles Superior Court during his sexual assault trial that the movie mogul had picked her out of the cast of dancers filming in Puerto Rico in 2003.
During an emotional testimony, the actress referred to in court as Ashley M, recounted how the 70-year-old demanded that she gave him a “naked massage” while making the Dirty Dancing sequel which was produced by his former company Miramax.
READ MORE: Harvey Weinstein’s ‘deformed’ genitalia to be laid bare in latest sex crimes trial
It is understood that the budding actress – who was also trained as a ballerina – was just 22 years old when Weinstein approached her ahead of her ballroom scene with other dancers on set.
(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
She told the court the movie maker took her outside for a private conversation where he convinced the star to perform the intimate act.
In her tearful testimony, she said: “He said it would just be a naked massage… and not to worry about it. He said, ‘Look at Gwyneth Paltrow and what it did for her career’.”
Ashley M went on to tell the court that she refused his advances and was disappointed when she told a producer and a choreographer what had happened and they did nothing to solve the problem.
(Image: Miramax Films)
The actress said that when she returned from dinner, a stern Weinstein was waiting for her alongside his assistant Bonnie Hung, at which point she recalled how the producer became “very aggressive” and told her to get into the limo.
She continued: “I gave her (Hung) a look like, ‘Can you help me’ with my eyes. She looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Don’t worry, I will be with you the entire time. He just wants to talk about projects’.”
After a 10 to 15 minute car ride, the limo stopped at a hotel, which was when Ashley M said she realised she was not going to a meeting but to a private room.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The star continued: “Harvey opened (the door) and he went in, then I went in and Bonnie shut the door behind us.
Ashley M testified that Weinstein immediately became aggressive and shoved her onto the bed where he took off her top and bra before he got undressed.
She told the court how: “He said, ‘It’s not like we’re having sex … it’s naked cuddling I was really scared, I didn’t know what to do. I said stop
“I just remember in my head saying, ‘What do I do?’ I knew he was just really big and Bonnie most likely was out there. I didn’t know what to do.”
Ashley M told the court that she couldn’t see Weinstein’s genitalia but saw him making a motion as he was masturbating.
(Image: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
The actress added: “He said, ‘It’s OK, it’s not like we’re having sex’. He ejaculated on me … on my breasts and some got on my face.”
She said she remembered feeling “thankful” that she wasn’t raped as she cleaned herself up before the trio left the hotel room and returned to the Havana Nights set in the limo.
The ballerina immediately called her mother and then-fiancé but was too ashamed to tell them the details at length.
Although Weinstein is not facing charges regarding Ashley M, the law allows the prosecution to question witnesses to “prior bad acts” in sexual assault cases in order to show a defendant’s pattern of behaviour that could reflect their intent.
The film producer has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of rape and sexual assault involving four women, including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wife.
(Image: PA)
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All of them will testify as Jane Doe during the trial, and it is understood that the prosecution also plans to call three other “prior to bad acts” witnesses to the stand.
Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence following a conviction in New York. He was granted permission to take the appeal of his 2020 sex crime conviction to the New York State Court of Appeals.
Ashley M will continue her testimony on Friday.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
