Kate Beckinsale has told of her “huge relief” at Harvey Weinstein’s prison sentence after revealing how she was “punished” by the former movie mogul.
Weinstein, 67, was sentenced to 23 years in prison by a judge in New York after being convicted of assaulting a production assistant at his apartment in 2006, and third-degree rape of another woman in 2013.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles have started the extradition process to bring the disgraced Hollywood film producer to California.
Beckinsale, 46, posted an image of herself on Instagram at the 2001 movie premiere for Serendipity.
She wrote: “We all refused to go because holding a premiere mere weeks after 9/11 with the city still smoking felt like the most insensitive, tone deaf, disrespectful idea possible.
“But Harvey insisted. We flew into New York and somehow got through it. The next morning Harvey called me and asked if I would like to bring my less than two-year-old daughter to his house for a playdate with his similar aged daughter. I said OK.
“I turned up and he immediately called for his nanny to take the babies to another room to play. I went to go with them and he said: ‘No, you wait here.’
“The minute the door closed he started screaming ‘you stupid f***ing c***, you c**t you ruined my premiere’.
“I had no idea what he was talking about and started to shake.
“He said, ‘If I am throwing a red carpet you get in a tight dress, you shake your ass, you shake your tits, you do not go down it looking like a f***ing lesbian you stupid f***ing c**t.’
“The shock made me burst into tears. I tried to say, ‘Harvey, the city is on fire. People are still looking for their relatives. None of us even felt the premiere was appropriate, much less coming out dressed like it’s a bachelor party.’
“He said, ‘I don’t care – it’s my f***ing premiere and if I want p***y on the red carpet that’s what I get.’”
Beckinsale said she “managed to get myself and my child out of there and yes that was one of many experiences I had that there was no recourse for, and falls under no felony.
“But I was punished for it, and for other instances where I said ‘no’ to him for years, insidiously and seeming irreversibly.”
She wrote: “Hearing that he has gone to prison for 23 years is a huge relief to me on behalf of all the women he sexually assaulted or raped, and I hope will be a deterrent to that sort of behaviour in this and any other industry.
“Having said that, the crimes that are not crimes, the inhumane bullying and sick covert abuse for which there is still no recourse no matter who you tell (and I did tell), these too need to go.”
Beckinsale previously told how a robed Weinstein offered her alcohol when she was just 17.
Scores of women have accused Weinstein of sexual assault and he was found guilty of two attacks following a high-profile trial.
One of the actresses who alleged he attacked her, Mira Sorvino, said she “cried tears of amazement” after he was sentenced.
She tweeted: “I literally cried tears of amazement, gratitude that the justice system has worked on behalf of all of his victims today.”
The US actress is one of many famous women to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct, alongside the likes of Rose McGowan, Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence.
23 years. Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his crimes of rape and sexual assault. I literally cried tears of amazement, gratitude that the justice system has worked on behalf of all of his victims today.
— Mira Sorvino (@MiraSorvino) March 11, 2020
Rosanna Arquette, another of his high-profile accusers, told of her “gratitude to all the silence breakers”, including McGowan, “and all the survivors of Weinstein” and the “brave women who testified”.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles filed sexual assault charges against Weinstein in January and have now begun the process of extraditing him from New York to their jurisdiction.
A spokesman said: “The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has begun the process of extraditing defendant Weinstein to California to face the sexual assault charges that were filed in January.
“No arraignment date has been set. Once a date has been set, our office will notify the public.”
Weinstein was charged with one felony count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint.
Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years in jail! Congratulations to the incredible women who took this monster on, in spite of how maliciously he retaliated. You have made a huge leap forward for all women with this victory. Also so much love to @RonanFarrow ❤️
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) March 11, 2020
The disgraced mogul’s sentencing was praised as a “major moment for the silence-breakers and for women battling everywhere for their right to work in a safe workplace without fear of abuse and harassment” by Time’s Up UK, part of the global movement against sexual harassment.
And Fieldfisher’s Jill Greenfield, who is running the UK civil litigation against Weinstein, said that his sentencing is a “hugely positive step for UK victims”.
Ms Greenfield, a personal injury solicitor, added: “They provided background information to the DA before the trial, and written submissions for consideration for sentencing by Judge Burke.
“There is some satisfaction for them having had their say and in knowing that the court in New York took into account what happened to them in the UK.
“Now Weinstein is locked up, it must be time to question the enablers around him, who allowed his abhorrent criminal behaviour to go unchecked for so long.
“Civil proceedings for the UK victims continues.”