Actor Gwyneth Paltrow was a key source in helping to expose disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct, according to a new book by two New York Times reporters who broke the story.
“She Said,” by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey ― credited along with The New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow for exposing Weinstein’s alleged abuses ― tells how Paltrow was one of the first Hollywood stars to speak to journalists digging into the story, even after Weinstein showed up early for a party at her house in what she saw as an intimidation attempt, Twohey told NBC’s “Today” show Monday.
“I think that many people will be surprised to discover that when so many other actresses were reluctant to get on the phone and scared to tell the truth about what they had experienced at his hands,” Twohey said, calling Paltrow “one of the first people to get on the phone” to aid the newspaper’s reporting.
The book, which goes on sale this week, details Kantor and Twohey’s deep investigation into the producer, who has been accused by more than 80 women of sexual harassment or assault. Weinstein, 67, scheduled for trial on criminal charges in January, has denied ever sexually assaulting anyone.
Twohey recalled Paltrow’s story of a July 2015 incident in which “Harvey Weinstein showed up to a party at her house early, and she was sort of forced to hide in the bathroom.”
The party, at Paltrow’s home in the Hamptons, was around the time the actor had begun speaking with reporters. Kantor wrote that she realized Paltrow had been trying to reach her when she saw “a series of panicked text messaged and missed calls” on her phone.
Paltrow, attempting to hide that she was in contact with the reporter, suspected Weinstein had showed up let her know that he was watching, according to the book. Still, Paltrow decided to remain at the house, and the “party unfolded without incident,” the book says.
“I think Harvey Weinstein was extremely aware and extremely scared of what the implications would be if his biggest star actually ended up going on the record,” Twohey said Monday.
NBC reported Weinstein responded to a request for comment with a statement.
“‘She Says’ is all you need to know to appreciate that this book contains one sided allegations without having adequately investigated the facts of each situation,” the statement said. “There is very different side to every story.”
In an interview with CBS News that aired Sunday, Kantor and Twohey disclosed Paltrow’s account of a meeting with Weinstein early in her career, when she was in her early-20s.
“She had a fax from her agent saying here’s where you need to show up,” Kantor said. “So, she went to the hotel room. The meeting was pretty unremarkable. But at the end of it, she says he actually put his hands on her and said, ‘Let’s finish in the bedroom.’”
Paltrow said she refused, and later confided in then-boyfriend Brad Pitt, who confronted Weinstein. Weinstein later warned Paltrow she could lose her career if the story got out, according to Kantor.
“She Said” also describes Weinstein’s efforts to thwart the journalists’ investigation, including the use of high-profile lawyer Lisa Bloom. In 2016, Bloom offered to gin up bad press about actor Rose McGowan, who accused Weinstein of raping her at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival.