Actress Monica Potter claims that she lost a chance to appear in the 1999 film The Cider House Rules because she rejected Harvey Weinstein’s advances.
Speaking to her hometown Cleveland television station WKYC on its Let’s Be Clear show, Potter said Weinstein had tried to bed her three times, “twice in New York and once was in London.”
On two occasions, Weinstein made advances while wearing a bathrobe, she claimed. She rejected him physically, she said, taking advantage of his attire. “I belted him. I flat out belted him… I really hit him where it hurt,’ she exclaimed. ‘So yeah, I missed out on that role because of that hairy pig.”
She added: “I didn’t do something, so therefore I missed out on it. I’m not saying the person who got it did. I’m just saying I didn’t.”
The Cider House Rules lead female role of Candy Kendall was played by Charlize Theron in the film.
Potter claimed she told her father about the first Weinstein incident, but did not talk about the others until her confession today. Potter said she was “so grateful for all the women that stood up” against Weinstein and revealed similar confrontations.
Weinstein’s representative told WKYC in a statement that the allegations were false, even though Weinstein had great respect for the actress.
“The final cast decisions on Cider House was the creative team’s alone. Close to 100 people auditioned and it came down to two people, which is a pretty good position to be in,’ the representative’s statement said. “There has never been anything other than respect and professionalism between Weinstein’s company and Ms. Potter, stemming from The Very Thought of You in 1998, and they have only had a friendly and cordial relationship over the years, and any suggestion or allegation otherwise is simply false.”
