Ex-actress says Weinstein promised her movie deal in exchange for threesome

NEW YORK (Reuters) – An actress-turned-costume designer informed jurors in the Weinstein rape trial on Wednesday the former Hollywood producer promised her a movie deal if she had 3-way intercourse with him and his assistant.

The designer, Dawn Dunning, and an additional accuser who took the stand Wednesday, Tarale Wulff, are not amongst the ladies Weinstein is charged with assaulting. But they are two of the 3 ladies prosecutors are contacting to bolster their situation against the former producer by striving to give evidence of his motives or methods.

Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting Mimi Haleyi and Jessica Mann. Considering the fact that 2017, additional than eighty ladies, such as a lot of popular actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

Weinstein, who manufactured “The English Patient” and “Shakespeare in Adore,” has denied the allegations and reported any sexual encounters ended up consensual.

The trial is extensively seen as an significant milestone in the #MeToo motion in which ladies have accused powerful adult men in company, leisure, media and politics of sexual misconduct.

Dunning reported that in 2004, Weinstein invited her to a resort in New York where by a movie was getting staged. When she arrived, she reported, Weinstein led her into a bed room and, with no warning, set her hand up her skirt and on her vagina.

“He informed me not to make a large deal about it. He apologized, reported it wouldn’t come about again,” she testified.

A couple weeks later, Weinstein’s assistant invited her to a meeting in a resort to go over performing prospects, Dunning testified.

Weinstein greeted her in a bathrobe, and informed her he would indicator her for his future 3 motion pictures if she had 3-way intercourse with him and his assistant.

Dunning reported she laughed, wondering it was a joke, but Weinstein grew to become indignant, screaming, “You’ll never make it in this company. This is how this marketplace works.”

On cross-assessment, Arthur Aidala, one of Weinstein’s legal professionals, pressed Dunning about her final decision to satisfy with Weinstein weeks right after the alleged assault, and the point that she did not inform any individual about the encounter until finally a long time later when she spoke to prosecutors.

Following Dunning still left the courtroom, Wulff took the stand.

She testified that Weinstein frequented Cipriani cafe in Manhattan, where by she worked as a waitress in 2005. When Wulff informed Weinstein she was an actor, he reported she had a “great look” and should chat to his men and women, she reported.

Then, Wulff reported, Weinstein took her arm and led her to a secluded terrace, where by she noticed he was masturbating under his shirt. She reported she fled and did not inform any individual about the incident.

Not extensive right after, Wulff reported, she got a simply call asking her to appear to Weinstein’s Manhattan workplace to examine for a movie job. When she arrived, she was informed Weinstein needed to see her in his residence, and was taken there by a driver.

Following exchanging mild discussion, the producer pushed her onto a bed and got on top of her, she testified. Wulff reported she informed him, “I can’t,” and that Weinstein responded not to get worried for the reason that he had had a vasectomy.

Wulff reported she “froze” as Weinstein raped her.

Just one of Weinstein’s legal professionals, Donna Rotunno, cross-examined Wulff aggressively about gaps in her memory, confronting her with notes showing she in the beginning informed prosecutors the encounter happened in 2004. Wulff reported she realized it ought to have been 2005 right after speaking to a pal.

Jurors in the trial have presently heard from Haleyi, who reported Weinstein pressured oral intercourse on her in his residence in 2006, and actress Annabella Sciorra, who reported he raped her in her residence in 1993 or 1994.