Actor Julia Ormond sues Harvey Weinstein and Disney over sexual assault

Actor Julia Ormond has filed a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein, claiming he sexually assaulted her in 1995. The producer has denied the allegation.

The Sabrina star is also seeking damages from Disney, Miramax and her former talent agency, who she says failed to protect her from the abuse.

Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence for rape. More than 80 people have made rape and misconduct claims against the producer, dating back as far as the late 1970s.

Ormond — who is best known for her roles in 90s films Fight Knight and Smilla’s Sense of Snow — alleges that her career never recovered after the attack by Weinstein.

The lawsuit claims that Weinstein returned from a business dinner to an apartment provided by the production company, where he “stripped naked and forced her to perform oral sex on him”.

“That sexual assault on Ormond could have been prevented if Miramax or Disney had properly supervised Weinstein and not retained him while knowing that he was a danger to the women he encountered at work,” states the lawsuit (via the BBC), which was filed on Wednesday (October 4).

Weinstein’s attorney Imran Ansari told the Associated Press that his client “categorically denies the allegations made against him by Julia Ormond and he is prepared to vehemently defend himself”.

Ormond is also suing the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), her former talent agency, which she claims failed to warn her about Weinstein’s abusive behaviour. She also “suggested that if she reported Weinstein to the authorities, she would not be believed, and he would seriously damage her career”.

The lawsuit adds: “Still worse, not long after Weinstein’s assault on Ormond and her reporting of the assault to them, CAA lost interest in representing her, and her career suffered dramatically.

“The damage to Ormond’s career because of Weinstein’s assault and the aftermath was catastrophic both personally and professionally,” it states, adding that she “nearly disappeared from the public eye” due to the alleged attack and retaliation by the defendants.

In a statement issued by Ormond’s lawyers, the British actor said: “After living for decades with the painful memories of my experiences at the hands of Harvey Weinstein, I am humbled and grateful to all those who have risked speaking out.”

She said that the “courage” of other survivors has “shed light on how powerful people and institutions like my talent agents at CAA, Miramax and Disney enabled and provided cover for Weinstein to assault me and countless others”.

“I seek a level of personal closure by holding them accountable to acknowledge their part and the depth of its harms and hope that all of our increased understanding will lead to further protections for all of us at work.”

The lawsuit has asked the court to award Ormond and unspecified amount for lost wages and “mental pain and anguish and severe emotional distress”.

CAA said they are taking the allegations of sexual assault seriously and “has compassion” for Ormond, but had denied the claims made against the firm.

“Ms Ormond’s claims against CAA are baseless, and the agency will vigorously refute them in court,” the agency said in a statement.

NME has also reached out to Disney and Miramax for comment.

In February, Weinstein was sentenced to an additional 13 years in prison after being charged with a further three counts of rape and sexual assault.

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