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Weinstein Accuser Says He Told Her, ‘This Is How the Industry Works’ Weinstein Accuser Says He Told Her, ‘This Is How the Industry Works’
(about 5 hours later)
The women were young aspiring actresses waiting tables in New York when they met Harvey Weinstein in the early 2000s. The women were young aspiring actresses waiting tables in New York in the mid 2000s when they met the producer Harvey Weinstein.
Dawn Dunning, a waitress from Ohio, met the influential producer at an upscale lounge in New York City’s meatpacking district. Tarale Wulff was Mr. Weinstein’s waitress at an another exclusive lounge in Lower Manhattan. Dawn Dunning, a waitress from Ohio, met Mr. Weinstein at an upscale lounge in New York City’s meatpacking district. Tarale Wulff was his waitress at another exclusive lounge in Lower Manhattan.
He offered to help both women with their acting careers, luring them to what they thought were business meetings. But each took the witness stand on Wednesday at Mr. Weinstein’s rape trial to describe how, once they were alone with Mr. Weinstein, he sexually assaulted them instead. He offered to help both women with their acting careers, luring them to what they thought were business meetings. But each took the witness stand on Wednesday at Mr. Weinstein’s rape trial to describe how, once they were alone with Mr. Weinstein, he sexually assaulted them.
Ms. Dunning testified that at one meeting, Mr. Weinstein suggested she agree to a threesome with him and one of his assistants to advance her career, telling her, “This is how the industry works. ”Ms. Wulff said she had agreed to meet with Mr. Weinstein to discuss acting when he raped her inside of his Manhattan loft. Ms. Dunning testified that at one meeting, Mr. Weinstein suggested she agree to a threesome with him and one of his assistants to advance her career, telling her, “This is how the industry works.” Ms. Wulff said she had met Mr. Weinstein to discuss a movie role when he raped her inside of his Manhattan loft.
Ms. Dunning and Ms. Wulff were the latest accusers to testify against Mr. Weinstein at his trial in the State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Choking back tears, Ms. Dunning said her encounters with the producer happened in 2004, and Ms. Wulff said Mr. Weinstein attacked her the following year. Ms. Dunning and Ms. Wulff were the latest women to testify against Mr. Weinstein at his long awaited trial in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, which is widely seen as a watershed moment in the #MeToo era. In all, six women have agreed to testify for the prosecution about their allegations that Mr. Weinstein sexually assaulted them.
A total of six women are testifying against Mr. Weinstein at the trial, which is widely seen as a defining moment in the #MeToo movement. Choking back tears, Ms. Dunning said her encounters with the producer happened in 2004, and Ms. Wulff said Mr. Weinstein attacked her the following year.
Before his steep fall from grace, Mr. Weinstein was an powerful producer, known for his aggressive style, who reshaped the independent movie industry with Oscar winners like “Shakespeare in Love” and Pulp Fiction.” Mr. Weinstein was once a powerful Hollywood producer, who won fame for reshaping the independent movie industry with Oscar winners like “Shakespeare in Love” and Pulp Fiction.”
But since 2017, when The New York Times and The New Yorker published exposés, more than 90 women have accused Mr. Weinstein of sexual misconduct, touching off a global reckoning over the kind of harassment women have endured for centuries at the hands of powerful men. Prosecutors have brought criminal charges against him in only a handful of instances in Los Angeles and New York City. But since 2017, when The New York Times and The New Yorker published exposés, more than 90 women have accused Mr. Weinstein of sexual misconduct, touching off a global reckoning over the harassment women have endured for centuries at the hands of men.
Mr. Weinstein has not been criminally charged in connection with the allegations from Ms. Dunning and Ms. Wulff, but Justice James A. Burke has ruled prosecutors can use their testimony to demonstrate what they say is Mr. Weinstein’s history of sexually assaulting women. Mr. Weinstein has not been criminally charged in connection with the allegations from Ms. Dunning and Ms. Wulff, but Justice James A. Burke has ruled prosecutors can use their testimony to show what they allege is Mr. Weinstein’s pattern of behavior.
Mr. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts, including rape and predatory sexual assault. Those charges stem from allegations that he forcibly performed oral sex on Miriam Haley, an assistant for “Project Runway,” in 2006 and raped another woman, Jessica Mann, in 2013. Ms. Haley told the jury on Monday that Mr. Weinstein had physically held her down and assaulted her in his Manhattan loft. On cross-examination, Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers sought to undermine the women’s credibility, pointing out, for instance, that Ms. Dunning had shared parts of her story in several television interviews but had never said Mr. Weinstein touched her genitals. The defense lawyers also raised questions about the reliability of Ms. Wulff’s memory.
Last week, the actress Annabella Sciorra, best known for her role in “The Sopranos,” told the jury that in the winter months of either 1993 or 1994, Mr. Weinstein pushed his way into her own apartment in New York and raped her. Mr. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts, including rape and predatory sexual assault. Those charges stem from allegations made by two women: Miriam Haley, a production assistant on “Project Runway” who has said he forced oral sex on her in 2006, and Jessica Mann, a former actress who told authorities he raped her in 2013.
Ms. Sciorra’s account is mentioned in the indictment to support a charge of predatory sexual assault, which requires prosecutors to prove that Mr. Weinstein committed a serious sex crime against at least two women. The state’s statute of limitations bars her allegation from being charged on its own as a crime. On Monday, Ms. Haley, who recently changed her name from Mimi Haleyi, told the jury that Mr. Weinstein had physically held her down and assaulted her in his Manhattan loft.
The trial has asked the jury of seven men and five women to consider complicated questions of consent and power dynamics in professional relationships. Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that all the sexual encounters were not only consensual but also transactional. The women, they have said, agreed to sex in the hope Mr. Weinstein might give them work. Last week, the actress Annabella Sciorra, best known for her role in “The Sopranos,” testified that in the winter months of either 1993 or 1994, Mr. Weinstein pushed his way into her apartment in New York and raped her.
Ms. Dunning, who is now a costume designer, said that Mr. Weinstein struck up a conversation with her at the now defunct PM Lounge where she waited tables, expressing an interest in her as an actress. They met several times to discuss her career, she said. He occasionally made inappropriate remarks. The state’s statute of limitations bars Ms. Sciorra’s allegation from being charged as a separate crime, but prosecutors are using it to bolster a charge of predatory sexual assault, which requires the state to prove that Mr. Weinstein committed a serious sex crime against at least two women.
But then, Mr. Weinstein invited Ms. Dunning to a boutique hotel in TriBeCa to meet people in the film industry. During a conversation in a bedroom, she said, he suddenly slipped his hand up her skirt and touched her genitals. The trial has asked the jury of seven men and five women to consider complicated questions of consent and power dynamics in professional relationships. Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers have argued all the sexual encounters were not only consensual but also transactional. The women, they have said, agreed to sex in the hope Mr. Weinstein might give them work.
Ms. Dunning, 40, who is now a costume designer, said that Mr. Weinstein struck up a conversation with her at the now defunct PM Lounge where she waited tables, expressing an interest in her as an actress. They met several times to discuss her career, she said.
Then Mr. Weinstein invited Ms. Dunning to a boutique hotel in TriBeCa, on the pretense of meeting people in the film industry, she said. During a conversation in a bedroom, she said, he suddenly slipped his hand up her skirt and touched her genitals.
He quickly apologized, she recalled, and told her “not to make a big deal about it.” She said she never reported the incident to the police, because she wanted “to pretend it didn’t happen.” Later, she agreed to a second meeting at a Manhattan hotel where they were supposed to talk about movie scripts.He quickly apologized, she recalled, and told her “not to make a big deal about it.” She said she never reported the incident to the police, because she wanted “to pretend it didn’t happen.” Later, she agreed to a second meeting at a Manhattan hotel where they were supposed to talk about movie scripts.
But Mr. Weinstein answered the door wearing only a bathrobe and suggested that Ms. Dunning agree to a threesome with him and one of his assistants in exchange for roles in three movies including “The Derail.” Ms. Dunning said she laughed, thinking it was a joke. But Mr. Weinstein answered the door wearing only a bathrobe, she said, and suggested that Ms. Dunning agree to a threesome with him and one of his assistants in exchange for roles in three movies, including “The Derail.” Ms. Dunning said she laughed, thinking it was a joke.
“He got really angry and started screaming at me, ‘You’ll never make it in this business. This is how the industry works. This is how all the great actresses made it,’” she said. She added: “He was like a big guy towering over me and I was really scared.” She fled the hotel. “He got really angry and started screaming at me, ‘You’ll never make it in this business. This is how the industry works. This is how,’ — and he named three actresses — ‘got to where they are,’” she said.
A day or so later, Ms. Dunning received a call from Mr. Weinstein’s assistant, but she hung up the phone. She said she never spoke to the producer again. Arthur Aidala, one of Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers, asked on cross-examination why Ms. Dunning had not told anyone, even during a series of interviews with television reporters, about the alleged encounter where she said the producer touched her vagina.
Ms. Wulff, 40, who is now a model, said she met Mr. Weinstein at Cipriani’s Upstairs SoHo, a members-only lounge owned by the producer’s friend, Giuseppe Cipriani. After learning that Ms. Wulff was an actress, Mr. Weinstein said he was interested in helping her and suggested she make an appointment with his office, she testified. Ms. Wulff, 43, who is now a model, said she met Mr. Weinstein at Cipriani’s Upstairs SoHo, a members-only lounge. After learning that Ms. Wulff was an actress, Mr. Weinstein suggested she make an appointment with his office, she testified.
Later that night, Mr. Weinstein grabbed her by the arm and led her up upstairs to a secluded area in the lounge, she said. Later that night, she said, Mr. Weinstein grabbed her by the arm and led her up upstairs to a secluded area, where he started masturbating in front of her. She said she rushed away.
She testified that she told the producer she had to get back to work. “He said, ‘one sec, one sec,’ and I noticed his shirt started moving — he had on a white shirt — and I realized he was masturbating under his shirt.” She said she threw her towel and rushed past him.
Still, Ms. Wulff said she later agreed to meet with Mr. Weinstein at his company’s office to discuss a potential role in “Pulse,” a movie that was being produced by Mr. Weinstein’s brother, Robert Weinstein, in Los Angeles.Still, Ms. Wulff said she later agreed to meet with Mr. Weinstein at his company’s office to discuss a potential role in “Pulse,” a movie that was being produced by Mr. Weinstein’s brother, Robert Weinstein, in Los Angeles.
Mr. Weinstein had a driver bring her from the company office to his apartment, Ms. Wulff said. When she arrived, Mr. Weinstein chatted with her while walking back and forth in a bedroom. Ms. Wulff testified that Mr. Weinstein then forced her on the bed and lay on top of her.Mr. Weinstein had a driver bring her from the company office to his apartment, Ms. Wulff said. When she arrived, Mr. Weinstein chatted with her while walking back and forth in a bedroom. Ms. Wulff testified that Mr. Weinstein then forced her on the bed and lay on top of her.
“That’s when my red flag finally went up,” she said. She recalled telling him, “I can’t,” but he said, “Don’t worry, I had a vasectomy.” Ms. Wulff said, “I just froze, clicked off and that’s it.” She recalled telling him, “I can’t,” but he said, “Don’t worry, I had a vasectomy.” Ms. Wulff said, “I just froze.”
“He put himself inside of me and he raped me,” she said.“He put himself inside of me and he raped me,” she said.
After it was over, Ms. Wulff said, she returned with Mr. Weinstein in a car to his company’s office, where she was handed a script. She said she did not audition that day and was not offered a role. She said she did not tell anyone about what had happened, including the police. “It’s easiest for me to pretend it didn’t happen,” Ms. Wulff said.
She said she did not tell anyone about what had happened, including the police. “It’s easiest for me to pretend it didn’t happen and just to go about my day,” Ms. Wulff said. Donna Rotunno, a defense lawyer, elicited testimony from Ms. Wulff, suggesting she had trouble remembering important parts of the encounter. Ms. Wulff acknowledged, for instance, that she could not remember if she had explicitly told Mr. Weinstein she did not want to have sex, though she remembered saying, “I can’t.”
Ms. Wulff also said in response to Ms. Rotunno’s questions that she had met with a trauma therapist 55 times, following a referral from prosecutors.
“Isn’t it correct that after the first meeting, the district attorney’s office told you your memories were too fragmented and they could not use you in this case?” Ms. Rotunno asked.
That was not accurate, Ms. Wulff replied. “They understood it has been a long time and there may be gaps in my memory and that was it,” she said.