Harvey Weinstein's former assistant has revealed new allegations against the disgraced Hollywood producer after almost two decades of silence - breaking a non-disclosure agreement.
Zelda Perkins, who was Mr Weinstein's former assistant in the United Kingdon in the 1990s, gave her first television interview on the BBC's Newsnight.
She said she left her job after allegations surfaced Mr Weinstein tried to rape her colleague.
Harvey Weinstein's former assistant claims the producer tried to rape her colleague. Police are investigating multiple allegations against the producer in the US and UK.
"We were at the Venice Film Festival and he tried to rape her," Ms Perkins said of the alleged incident involving a then-colleague.
The colleague was shaking and in shock and also did not want anyone to find out about the matter, Ms Perkins said.
She said she then called Mr Weinstein out of a business meeting to confront him. He denied the accusation.
"He said nothing at all had happened and he swore on the life of his wife and his children, which was his best get-out-of-jail card that he used quite a lot," Ms Perkins said.
Both Perkins and the colleague subsequently resigned.
In her 20s at the time, Ms Perkins claims she tried to expose his behaviour but her legal team instead urged her to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which included a payout.
"The lawyers made it very clear that we did not have many options. Because we hadn't gone to the police when we were in Venice, we had no physical evidence and ultimately it would be two under-25-year-old womens' word against Harvey Weinstein, Miramax Film Corporation and, essentially, the Disney company," she said.
Speaking about working for Weinstein in her early 20s, Ms Perkins spoke about the cult of personality surrounding him in his heyday.
"Harvey, now, everyone sees as this sort of repulsive monster, which he was and is on one hand, but I think what is interesting and what isn't maybe brought forward is that he was also an extremely exciting, brilliant, stimulating person to be around," she said.
Weinstein's lawyers repeated the denial of all allegations of non-consensual sex in a statement given to Newsnight.
Reporter Emily Maitlis said Disney had not yet responded to a request for comment and Miramax had declined to comment.
Ms Perkins has described the process she experienced as immoral and joined growing calls in support of reforming non-disclosure agreements.
It is cases like Mr Weinstein's that has prompted lawmakers in parts of the United States to propose banning non-disclosure agreements in sexual harassment and other employment-related cases.
Ms Perkins is calling for the UK to follow suit.
"I understand that non-disclosure agreements have a place in society, and for both sides. But it's really important that legislation is changed around how these agreements are regulated," she said.
- with additional reporting from Aileen Phillips
