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Controversies in Hollywood are nothing new. From casting couch to celebrity affairs often make headlines. However, the #MeToo movement exposed the pervasive issue of s*xual harassment, assault, and misconduct within the entertainment industry. It also exposed film producer Harvey Weinstein’s s*xual misconduct.
As several actresses came forward to expose the disgraced film producer, Canadian actress Erika Rosenbaum also made some shocking allegations against him. She revealed that Weinstein coaxed her into the bathroom of his hotel room, grabbed her neck, and masturbated in front of her during a meeting to discuss her career.
Talking to The New York Times, Erika Rosenbaum relayed a story of a meeting set up by Harvey Weinstein’s assistant in Toronto, during the film festival. Rosenbaum, then in her mid-20s, had first met Weinstein at a party a few years prior, in which Weinstein had allegedly made a passing s*xual advance.
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Weinstein’s assistant texted Rosenbaum before the meeting and told her that he was on a tight schedule and that she should meet him in his hotel room. When she arrived at the hotel room, Weinstein’s assistant opened the door and then left. Rosenbaum, with her voice cracking in the recording, said she finds speaking about what happened next “difficult.”
Erika Rosenbaum said, “He answered the door with no pants on. As far as I could tell, he was just wearing a dress shirt.” Harvey Weinstein apologized to her, “outright,” Rosenbaum said. He said he was “rushing to get ready,” and that he needed to take a shower. At this point, Rosenbaum said Weinstein’s shirt covered his hips, but there was “nothing on” underneath.
According to Rosenbaum, Weinstein then inquired if she could have a conversation with him while he showered. However, Rosenbaum declined, mentioning that he had a busy schedule and suggesting they talk at a later time. This seemed to frustrate Weinstein, who appeared displeased that Rosenbaum intended to exit his hotel room. “Could you come over here for a moment?” Rosenbaum recalled telling her.
Erika Rosenbaum then recalled Harvey Weinstein brought her into the bathroom, “I don’t remember what I said if I said anything at all,” Rosenbaum said. “I think I was too afraid to say anything.” She added, “He held me by the back of the neck and had me face the mirror, and said I just want to look at you. And then he started masturbating, um, behind me. He was holding me by the back of the neck and looking right at my face.”
The Canadian actress further said, “And, uh, I remember seeing my own face in the mirror, and I just could not believe that I was standing there. And I just could not believe that I had let this happen. And I felt incredibly guilty, And eventually, I don’t know if a minute went by, or five minutes went by, but I – I tell him that I cannot be here, and I walked to the door. I don’t think he finished what he was doing and I don’t remember him saying anything at all after that.”
“And I remember how I felt afterwards, that now I was deeper into this secret, and that, and I didn’t know what would happen if I ever said anything, and I didn’t know what would happen if I didn’t call him back – if he (Harvey Weinstein) would come after me in some way. I didn’t know what else I could do. It sounds so foolish now.”
“You get woven into this web, bit-by-bit,” Rosenbaum said, of how Weinstein – a Hollywood power-broker- had charmed her into successive meetings. “Because of the power imbalance that was there from the get-go, I really felt trapped. I realize now how manipulated I was back then,” she added.
Apart from Erika Rosenbaum, several actresses including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ambra Battilana Gutierrez and others have alleged harassment at the hands of Harvey Weinstein.
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