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Asia Argento Pans Fellow MeToo Activist for Making False Sex Assault Claims

© AFP 2023 / Loic VENANCE(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 19, 2018 Italian actress Asia Argento poses as she arrives for the closing ceremony and the screening of the film "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France
(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 19, 2018 Italian actress Asia Argento poses as she arrives for the closing ceremony and the screening of the film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France - Sputnik International
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Former #MeToo activists Asia Argento and Rose McGowan fell out after The New York Times quoted McGowan as saying that the Italian actress had offered a 17-year-old boy money to keep mum about their sexual relationship. McGowan also said she wanted her friend to be the person she wished Harvey Weinstein could have been

On Friday, Argento responded to McGowan’s statement on Twitter, saying, “It is a shame @rosemcgowan is not prepared to accept when she is wrong … Rose’s statement continues to make false claims.”

Actress Asia Argento gestures on stage during the closing ceremony of the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 19, 2018 - Sputnik International
Asia Argento Cuts Off Payments to Accuser, Says Jimmy Bennett ‘Attacked' Her
In the tweet, Argento also referenced McGowan’s model boyfriend, Rain Dove, who she said was willing to acknowledge making a mistake when spreading information about Argento’s relationship with former child actor Jimmy Bennett, Eonline.com wrote.

In a statement explaining her involvement in the case, McGowan explained that she only became acquainted with Argento because of the shared trauma they had experienced with Weinstein.

“Do the right thing. Be honest. Be fair. Let justice stay its course. Be the person you wish Harvey could have been," McGowan urged Argento.

Explaining her involvement in the case, McGowan asserted, "Many people believe that because we have been close in each other's lives over the past year that perhaps I am affiliated with this incident or being complicit. I am not."

Last week, reports emerged that Argento allegedly sexually assaulted Bennett in a California hotel room when he was 17 and she was 37. The New York Times wrote that Argento allegedly agreed to pay Bennett $380,000, after he accused her of sexual battery in a notice of intent to sue sent by his attorney to Argento's in November 2017.

Jimmy Bennett himself has since spoken out and explained why he chose not to make his accusations public.

"I was underage when the event took place, and I tried to seek justice in a way that made sense to me at the time because I was not ready to deal with the ramifications of my story becoming public," he said.

Asia Argento has since been fired from her role as a judge on X Factor Italy.

READ MORE: CNN Refuses to Present Show Featuring Asia Argento Following Sex Scandal

As two of the first women to tell their stories of sexual assault by disgraced Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein, Argento and McGowan are both prominent figureheads of the #MeToo movement.

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