Kevin Winter/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Actress Mira Sorvino, who along with Asia Argento was one of the first women to go public with allegations of sexual misconduct by Harvey Weinstein last fall, says she’s “heartsick” over allegations Argento sexually assaulted a young male actor and secretly paid him off.
The Time’s Up and #MeToo activist broke her silence on Tuesday, writing on Twitter, “Having just touched down from several weeks abroad, I am reeling from the recent news. Although hoping against hope that it is not true.”
The post goes on: “I’ve been “heartsick over the recent allegations against Asia Argento. Time will clarify things and perhaps she will be exonerated, but if true, there is no lens that makes it better. Child sexual assault is a heinous crime and is against all that I and the #MeToo movement stands for.”
“I remain dedicated to fight for all victims and change the culture that encourages abuse of power in sexual relationships,” Sorvino added.
The New York Times reported Sunday that Argento sexually assaulted her then-17-year-old former movie co-star, Jimmy Bennett, in 2013 and later paid him $380,000 to settle the accusations.
In a statement on Tuesday, Argento denied the claims, insisting Bennett was undergoing financial hardships and began demanding money from her and her late boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain. She says it was Bourdain who paid Bennett to stop him from harassing her.
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