British actress Lysette Anthony — the first actress in the U.K. to accuse Harvey Weinstein of rape — has come to Asia Argento‘s defense.
Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Times, Anthony didn’t hold back about standing up for Argento amid her current sexual assault controversy surrounding then-17-year-old former child actor Jimmy Bennett.
Related: Harvey Weinstein Is Trying To Use Asia As A Defense Tactic
Anthony — who clearly knew what she was saying would be highly controversial — said (below):
“I’m going to be flayed alive for speaking out, but I cannot stand by while Asia Argento is hurled under a bus. She has been extraordinarily courageous standing up to Weinstein. And now she’s being punished. She’s being vilified and abused.”
Wow.
Argento, of course, is taking quite a bit of criticism over her apparent actions with Bennett, but to hear Anthony come so strongly to her defense sure is something.
Lysette continued (below):
“When Asia told her story it was absolutely akin to mine and I cannot in good conscience let her carry the burden. It’s shaming and humiliating to stand up and say that man abused, raped and humiliated me and seriously damaged my career for many years. If you don’t understand, be thankful, because no one should have to go through what I went through — or what Asia is going through now. It’s barbaric. I know people have been sitting around dinner tables looking to find us complicit. But this is not a story of actresses trying to further their careers. This is the story of a predator and a rapist. He’s hurt a shocking number of women. Please ask yourselves, ‘What is the cost of owning up to being part of his bloody harem?’ Quite a lot. The shame over years of degradation was enough to make me contemplate suicide at one point. A friend had to talk me down. I have waived my right to anonymity because it gave me a voice. But people should ask themselves a very simple question: why am I the only actress in Britain who has had the guts to use her name? Why the silence?”
She sure didn’t hold back…
Thoughts, Perezcious readers?
Let us know in the comments (below)…
PS — read the full interview with Lysette Anthony HERE.
[Image via WENN.]
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