Harvey Weinstein has responded to accusations from Cate Blanchett that he behaved inappropriately towards her.
The Oscar-winning actress earlier this week joined the list of Hollywood stars making allegations against the film producer, following claims made by others including Rose McGowan, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Blanchett replied in the affirmative when asked by US entertainment magazine Variety if Weinstein – who she worked with on films such as The Talented Mr Ripley, Carol and The Aviator – had sexually harassed or behaved inappropriately towards her.
Weinstein has said, in a statement released by his spokesman, that he does not believe he and Blanchett ever had any “disagreements”.
The statement read: “Mr Weinstein and Ms Blanchett worked on eight films together, from early on in the Talented Mr Ripley to her first Oscar for her role in The Aviator and her additional Academy nominations.
“Mr Weinstein believes there were never any personal or even professional disagreements between the two.”
Blanchett told Variety of Weinstein: “I think he really primarily preyed, like most predators, on the vulnerable. I mean I got a bad feeling from him. He would often say to me, ‘We’re not friends’.”
When asked what Weinstein had meant by that, Blanchett replied: “Well, I wouldn’t do what he was asking me to do,” though declined to specify further.
Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women and is the subject of police investigations in London, New York and Los Angeles.
He has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
Blanchett was asked by the magazine if she thought Weinstein could go to prison, to which she replied: “Well, I hope so.”
Later in the interview, she suggested she had been reluctant to work with him the past. She also ruled out the possibility of him working in the film industry again.
She said: “I don’t think Harvey will be making films with anybody.
“He was brought on as the producer on many films that I had absolutely no say on. I didn’t have a creative or functional relationship with him.”