Matt Damon admits he knew Harvey Weinstein harassed Gwyneth Paltrow

Good Will Hunting actor appeared with George Clooney in an interview where they discussed sexual harassment scandal in Hollywood

Matt Damon and George Clooney have spoken about the allegations against disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein.

In an interview on Good Morning America aired on 23 October, both admitted they knew Weinstein was a "bully" and "womaniser" who would brag about sleeping with famous actresses, but claimed they had no idea about the level of sexual harassment that allegedly took place.

Damon did, however, confess that he knew the film mogul had sexually harassed Gwyneth Paltrow before she filmed the 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma for Miramax.

Paltrow claimed that when she was 22, she met Weinstein at the Pennsylvania Beverly Hills Hotel for what she thought was a work meeting. It allegedly ended when Weinstein placed his hands on her and suggested they go to the bedroom for massages.

Paltrow said she was "petrified" during the alleged encounter. She told her then-boyfriend Brad Pitt who reportedly confronted Weinstein at a theatre premiere and told him never to touch her again.

Pitt confirmed Paltrow's account of events through a representative.

(Rex Features)

"I knew the story about Gwyneth from Ben [Affleck] because he was with her after Brad and so I knew that story," Damon said. "But I was working with Gwyneth and with Harvey on [1999 film The Talented Mr] Ripley.

"I never talked to Gwyneth about it but Ben told me that whatever agreement they had come to there was an understanding... and he treated her incredibly respectfully. Always."

Damon is only the fourth male actor to state that he was aware of at least one incident of alleged sexual harassment of women by Weinstein.

Meanwhile Clooney's claim was similar to that by many of Weinstein's victims, that the producer would regularly brag about the famous women he was having affairs with.

"I didn't necessarily believe him quite honestly, because ot believe him would be to believe the worst of some actresses who were friends of mine, and I didn't really think that they had affairs with Harvey - and clearly they didn't," he said.

"But the idea that this predator, this assaulter was out there silencing women like that, it's beyond infuriating. And that fact that the story is coming out now and the more it comes out, I want to know all of it."

Weinstein is supposedly in rehab for "sex addiction". Over 60 women have come forward so far with allegations of sexual harassment and assault against him.

The producer's latest statement via a spokesperson said "any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied" by him.

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