Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, speaking from Rikers Island jail in New York, criticized Gwyneth Paltrow in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, claiming the Oscar-winning actress exaggerated past allegations against him and "owes her career" to his influence in the film industry.
Weinstein, once among the most powerful producers in Hollywood, is serving prison time after convictions related to sexual assault charges in California and continues to contest accusations that helped ignite the global #MeToo movement. In the interview, Weinstein revisited his relationship with Paltrow, whose public statements about their early-career encounter became widely cited during the movement's rise in 2017.
The comments mark one of Weinstein's most direct attacks on a prominent actress who publicly described an uncomfortable interaction with the producer early in her career.
Paltrow previously said that shortly after she was cast in the 1996 film adaptation of Emma, Weinstein invited her to his hotel room and suggested a massage. At the time, she said she was 22 years old and felt uneasy about the situation.
Weinstein disputed that characterization in the interview with The Hollywood Reporter, insisting the encounter was misunderstood and did not involve physical contact. According to Weinstein's account, actor Brad Pitt, who was dating Paltrow after meeting her during the filming of Se7en, confronted him about the situation.
Weinstein told the magazine:
"I never put my hands on her. She told Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt came to me and said, 'Don't do anything like that with my girl.' I said, 'Don't worry, Brad. I got it."
What angered Weinstein most, he said, was Paltrow's decision to later discuss the incident publicly during the #MeToo era.
In the interview, Weinstein accused the actress of betraying someone he once considered a professional ally. Speaking about Paltrow's later comments to Howard Stern and The New York Times, Weinstein said:
"But then Gwyneth goes on Howard Stern and The New York Times and makes a big deal about it all. She knows that nothing happened. But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back. She wanted to be part of the crowd. I won't forgive her for that."
The interview also offered a glimpse into Weinstein's daily life while incarcerated at Rikers Island.
The former producer described spending most of his time alone in a cell and said his regular contact is largely limited to prison staff, medical personnel, family members and lawyers. Weinstein characterized the experience as isolating and difficult.
Despite acknowledging past personal misconduct, Weinstein continued to deny the core accusations that led to criminal charges against him.
During the interview, he admitted that he had sometimes been aggressive in professional and personal interactions. He said he had occasionally been "pushy" and acknowledged that he could behave like a "bully."
However, Weinstein insisted the allegations of sexual assault were false. He told The Hollywood Reporter:
"I misled them. I cheated on both my wives. That's immoral. But I did not assault them. That is the big lie of all of this. I won't apologize for something I didn't do. I will be proven innocent. That I promise you."
Weinstein's legal battles have stretched across multiple jurisdictions since investigative reporting in 2017 exposed decades of allegations of sexual misconduct.
Key milestones in his criminal cases include:
- 2020 - New York conviction: Weinstein was found guilty of criminal sexual act in the first degree involving former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and rape in the third degree involving actress Jessica Mann, receiving a 23-year prison sentence.
- 2024 - New York ruling overturned: The New York Court of Appeals vacated the conviction, ruling that testimony from women not directly involved in the charges should not have been allowed. Prosecutors said they intend to retry the case.
- 2022 - California conviction: Weinstein was found guilty in Los Angeles of rape and other sexual offenses involving an Italian model in a 2013 Beverly Hills hotel assault.
- Sentence: A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge sentenced him to 16 years in prison, which he is currently serving.
The allegations against Weinstein and the subsequent trials became a defining moment for the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women across industries to publicly report sexual misconduct by powerful figures.
Representatives for Gwyneth Paltrow have not issued public comments responding to Weinstein's latest remarks.
