British actress Julia Ormond has filed a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein, claiming he sexually assaulted her in 1995.
The case has been filed in the State Supreme court in Manhattan, New York under the Adult Survivors Act.
The Adult Survivors Act (ASA) is a New York State legislation which was enacted in May 2022. It amends state law to allow alleged victims of sexual offences for which the statute of limitations has passed to file civil suits for a one-year period.
According to her suit, Julia met the disgraced movie producer in 1994, and later entered a production agreement with Harvey’s Miramax in 1995.
In December of that year, Julia has claimed Harvey committed sexual battery against her after a business meeting.
The actress went on to allege that he negatively affected her career after she confronted him about it weeks later.
In the suit, Julia also claimed the Walt Disney Company, Miramax and her former agents at CAA knew Weinstein was a problem but did nothing about it.
Weinstein’s attorney Imran Ansari has said his client “categorically denies the allegations made against him by Julia Ormond and he is prepared to vehemently defend himself”.
The 71-year-old is currently in prison after being convicted of sex crimes in New York.
He was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020, and received an additional sentence of 16 years earlier this year after a jury in Los Angeles found the movie producer guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault.
He has appealed against both convictions.
