DarkMode/LightMode
Light Mode

Antonio Banderas offers support to Salma Hayek after Weinstein essay

Antonio Banderas has reached out to his Frida co-star Salma Hayek after she went public with producer Harvey Weinstein’s alleged bad behavior behind the scenes of the movie.

In a New York Times essay published earlier this week (beg11Dec17), the Mexican star opened up about the sexual harassment she claims she was subjected to as she attempted to get her passion project made at the beginning of the century.

Salma alleged the disgraced movie boss threatened her life and her career when she spurned his sexual requests, including asking her to shower with him, massaging him, and allowing him to perform oral sex on her. And she claimed he attempted to sabotage the movie, in which Banderas portrayed David Alfaro Siqueiros.

- Advertisement -

In her Times op-ed piece, the star reveals she reluctantly agreed to shoot a naked lesbian sex scene with another woman to keep Weinstein happy and save the film.

Weinstein has denied the actress’ claims and his representative has released a statement, insisting the producer “does not recall pressuring Salma to do a gratuitous sex scene with a female co-star and he was not there for the filming”.

Now, Banderas, who also teamed up with Hayek in Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, has issued his own statement, offering the actress his support.

Written in his native Spanish, the translated note reads: “I’m deeply saddened by the terrible events that my dear friend Salma Hayek has made public about Harvey #Weinstein. Her integrity and honesty as a woman and as an actress make me firmly trust her words.”

Banderas and Hayek’s co-star in the Frida Kahlo biopic, Ashley Judd, was among the first wave of women who exposed Weinstein as an alleged serial harasser and predator in a New York Times piece published in early October (17). She also claimed the producer asked her to watch him shower and massage him.

- Advertisement -