Ashley Judd sues Weinstein saying he wrecked her career
LOS ANGELES — Ashley Judd sued Harvey Weinstein on Monday, saying the former movie mogul hurt her acting career in retaliation for her rejecting his sexual advances.
In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Judd accuses Weinstein of defamation, sexual harassment and violating California’s unfair competition law. Judd was in the first group of women who came forward last fall about Weinstein’s sexual misconduct, putting her at the forefront of the #MeToo movement.
Central to the suit is director Peter Jackson saying in December that Weinstein had warned him 20 years ago that Judd was a “nightmare” to work with, and should be avoided “at all costs.” Jackson was considering Judd for a major role in his “Lord of the Rings” movies, and had met with her about the role.
Weinstein’s company at the time, Miramax, then held the rights to “Lord of the Rings.”