American actress Annabella Sciorra has given explicit evidence about being raped by Harvey Weinstein on a bed in her apartment in the early 1990s.
Sciorra, 59, whose most famous role was in the hit TV show The Sopranos, told a jury in New York he held her down and raped her and said: “I was punching him. I was kicking him. I was just trying to get him off of me."
Today the whole world needs to send prayers and love to Annabella Sciorra. She is a shining light, a lioness. To have the courage to stand up today in court and expose the monster shows her moral, beautiful, extraordinary heart. We stand with you, we love you!#AnnabellaHero
— Mira Sorvino (@MiraSorvino) January 23, 2020
Weinstein is on trial over two allegations - that he forcibly performed oral sex on a production assistant, Mimi Haleyi, in his apartment in 2006 and that he raped an unidentified aspiring actress in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013.
He is not on trial for the rape of Ms Sciorra - because of the statute of limitations - but she has been called as a prosecution witness.
Sending my support out to Annabella Sciorra.
— Vincent D'Onofrio (@vincentdonofrio) January 23, 2020
My heart is filled for you and my fist his held high in the air in solidarity for all women. We are with you Annabella.#AnnabellaFightsBack
Her voice quivered as she recalled the incident in court: “I didn't have very much fight left inside me. My body shut down. It was just so disgusting that my body started to shake in a way that was very unusual. I didn't even know what was happening. It was like a seizure or something.''
Ms Sciorra said she was too shocked to report it to the police and she said when she confronted him about it a month later, she said he joked: “That's what all the nice Catholic girls say.”
She said he then leaned in and whispered: “This remains between you and I.''
Ms Sciorra only made the allegation public in 2017 after other women had come forward and accused of Weinstein of being a sexual predator.
Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra testifying against Weinstein this morning. Wiped away tears as she alleged he forced his way into her apartment & raped her in 1993/94. Told how he approached her again in London; she had to move hotels by night with help from Matthew Vaughn.
— Harriet Alexander (@h_alexander) January 23, 2020
Weinstein, 67, has denied taking part in non-consensual sex but has admitted he may have acted inappropriately with some women.
Ms Sciorra hit the big time with a leading role in Spike Lee's 1991 film Jungle Fever and the following year she starred in The Hand That Rocks The Cradle.
Twenty-seven women who came forward to report Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct issued the following statement in support of Annabella Sciorra, Mimi Haleyi, Dawn Dunning and all of the brave women who will testify in Weinstein’s criminal trial in New York City. pic.twitter.com/HWsEc0a4cz
— TIME'S UP (@TIMESUPNOW) January 22, 2020
She said she was raped by Weinstein in either 1993 or 1994 but she said he also turned up almost naked at her hotel door at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival with a bottle of baby oil in hand.
Weinstein’s lawyer Damon Cheronis, claimed Ms Sciorra once told a friend she "did a crazy thing and had sex with Harvey Weinstein."
Mr Cheronis said: “She didn't describe it as rape because it wasn't.”
