Dorothea Mercouri described in detail what happened to the famous film producer
She said she was sexually harassed, described in detail what happened to Weinstein and revealed how her then-husband reacted when he confessed to him.
Dorothea Mercouri in an interview given to Marie Claire magazine referred to her relationship with the famous film producer Harvey Weinstein. She stated that she was sexually harassed, described in detail what happened to Weinstein and revealed that her then husband reacted when he confessed to him.
The actress' confession:
“I have been sexually harassed three times. At one point I completely lost the role. The other eight of my ten scenes were cut because I did not sleep with the director during filming. The third time I was alone in a room with Harvey Weinstein. It was in 2008 at the Venice Film Festival. They met me at a party and he gave me an appointment the next morning at 9.30. His secretary met me in the lobby and accompanied me to the presidential suite of the hotel which used it as an office. I knew I was going to meet the biggest movie producer in the world, but nothing more than that. In fact, I had the best impressions of meeting Bob Weinstein's brother when I made my first film in America in 2001, which was perfect, gentleman. It never occurred to me that something bad might happen to me, I had not heard the stories. I had just returned to Greece making the transition from modeling to acting, I participated in a daily TV series, I was doing very well.
He welcomed me into the living room of the suite. He showed interest in my Greek-Italian origin, in the fact that I spoke many languages, he knew a lot about Greek cinema. He told me all about Melina Mercouri's films and we had a nice discussion for 15 minutes. Then he offered me a central role for a big production that would return to Italy in a few months. He told me, “I will give you the leading role and you will give me a massage. I will take the director here in front of you as long as we go inside and give me this massage “. I tried to turn it around, “are you kidding? What do you want this for now? ”“ Come on, don't be stupid, you will do it for your career ”he continued to prove to me that I do not behave logically, He then told me that I was missing out on the only good opportunity I had in my life simply because I refused to go into the bedroom with him.
Suddenly with one step his body was next to mine, his face within breathing distance. I wanted to leave, I felt danger, I pushed him firmly with my hands to get away and I said calmly that I would be in town for another week, that I wanted to think about it and just “let me go now”. I closed the door behind me and almost ran away. I did not say anything to my friends. But I told my then-husband Ward. He was shocked but simply said that what he always told me was confirmed, that a career in acting is a lost cause if you do not give in to such proposals unless you are the daughter of a director or the wife of a producer.
In the fall of 2017, when the women's allegations against Harvey Weinstein became known, even though we were divorced, Ward called me the same day from America, angry and told me to file a lawsuit. I did not do anything of course, I decided that I could not speak there either because I do not belong to the American star system, or here because who would listen to me. But in the stories of other women, I recognized exactly what Harvey Weinstein was saying to me.
After #metoo our profession and the whole system became more meritocratic. “If my daughter wants to become an actress now, I will say yes to her, then I would say no to her.”
