An appeals court on Wednesday ruled that Ashley Judd can pursue a sexual harassment claim against Harvey Weinstein, finding that he held power over her career when he invited her to his room at the Peninsula Hotel in the mid-1990s, Variety reported.
The three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court, which had thrown out the claim on the grounds that Judd was not Weinstein’s employee at the time of the meeting.
But in its ruling, the three-judge panel held that the producer-actor relationship has a similar power imbalance to the relationships that were enumerated in the statute at the time, such as teacher-student and landlord-tenant relationships.
The case will now head back to the lower court and proceed on all claims.
Judd sued Weinstein in April 2018. She alleged that Weinstein had lured her to his hotel room, asked her to watch him shower and tried to give her a massage. She also sued for defamation and retaliation, claiming that after she rebuffed his advances, Weinstein effectively blacklisted her in the film industry.
She brought the suit after “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson revealed in an interview that Miramax had discouraged him from casting Judd and Mira Sorvino, saying they could be a “nightmare to work with.”
Photos: Getty Images
Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
13:03, April 24
Ladaniva pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 191523:10, April 23
Ultra-rare Rolex watch sold for record $3.5M19:25, April 23
Charles Aznavour: On centenary of the late great French Armenian chansonnier16:22, April 23
David Lynch presents ‘Room of Reflection’ installation at Salone del Mobile15:13, April 23
New details revealed about Marilyn Monroe's affair with Kennedy brothers, last day of her life14:17, April 23
Microsoft makes Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa rap13:34, April 23
Christie's to auction designer Vivienne Westwood’s personal wardrobe12:30, April 23
Celine Dion opens up about her struggle with SPS11:54, April 23
Kanye West reveals which celebrity he and wife, Bianca Censori, are ready for threesome with11:18, April 23
Catherine Zeta-Jones' daughter celebrates 21st birthday in mom's dress from 25 years ago10:16, April 23
‘Dirty Dancing’ by Britney Spears22:32, April 22
Street style by Rihanna: Leopard print fur coat, leather miniskirt