In a complaint filed on Wednesday, Emmy-winning actor Julia Ormond accused infamous movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault while also accusing Miramax, Disney, and Creative Artists Agency of negligence.
Ormond accused Weinstein of forcing her to perform oral sex on him in December 1995 following what she believed to be a business meeting when she filed a lawsuit against him in the New York State Supreme Court.
“After living for decades with the painful memories of my experiences at the hands of Harvey Weinstein, I am humbled and grateful to all those who have risked speaking out,” Ormond said in a statement.
“I seek a level of personal closure by holding them accountable to acknowledge their part and the depth of its harms and hope that all of our increased understanding will lead to further protections for all of us at work,” Ormond added.
Ormond is requesting an undefined amount of money in addition to attorney’s costs, punitive and exemplary damages, compensatory damages for lost wages and earnings, “mental pain and anguish and severe emotional distress,” and other damages.
The complaint was brought under the Adult Survivors Act, which gave sexual assault victims a one-year window to file lawsuits, regardless of when the alleged abuse allegedly occurred. Plaintiffs have until the end of next month to file claims after New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed it into law last year.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Imran H. Ansari, asserted that his client disputes Ormond’s claims.
“Harvey Weinstein categorically denies the allegations made against him by Julia Ormond and he is prepared to vehemently defend himself,” Ansari said in a statement. “This is yet another example of a complaint filed against Mr. Weinstein after the passing of decades, and he is confident that the evidence will not support Ms. Ormond’s claims.”
Numerous women have accused Weinstein of sexual harassment and assault. These allegations have sparked the #MeToo movement and a broader societal conversation about power abuses in the entertainment and other industries.
He was sentenced to 23 years in jail in 2020 after being found guilty of first-degree criminal sex act against one lady and third-degree rape of one woman. After a trial in Los Angeles in 2022, he was found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault against one lady. He was subsequently given a 16-year prison term.
All claims of sexual misbehavior against Weinstein have been vigorously and publicly refuted. He stated he intends to appeal his conviction in Los Angeles after having done so in New York.
Ormond alleges carelessness in the supervision and retention of Weinstein’s former employers, Miramax and Disney, as well as Creative Artists Agency’s negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
Requests for comment from Disney and Miramax did not immediately receive a response.
A CAA representative stated in a written statement on Wednesday night that the organization would challenge the “baseless” allegations in court.
The representative claimed that Ormond’s lawyers demanded $15 million from the organization in exchange for Ormond not disclosing the claims. According to the agency, the demand was turned down.
Weinstein and his brother Bob launched Miramax, a film production and distribution company, in 1979. The two developed the business into a major player by winning Oscars for films like “Pulp Fiction” and “The King’s Speech.” From 1993 to 2010, Disney was the owner of Miramax. One of the most potent agencies in contemporary Hollywood is CAA.
The most well-known films that Ormond has appeared in include “Legends of the Fall” and “Sabrina.” She was honored with an Emmy for her supporting role in the HBO movie “Temple Grandin.”
