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Jennifer Lawrence slams Harvey Weinstein, and says she is 'deeply disturbed' by sexual harassment allegations

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Academy Award-winner Jennifer Lawrence has spoken out about producer Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual harassment, saying she is "deeply disturbed," in a statement released to Variety Monday.

Lawrence said she was never harassed by the producer when she worked with him five years ago, and that she was not aware of any allegations made against him.

"This kind of abuse is inexcusable and absolutely upsetting,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence starred in the Weinstein-produced film "Silver Linings Playbook" that came out in 2012. Her performance in the film earned her both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for best actress. 

In her 2013 Golden Globe acceptance speech for best actress, Lawrence famously said, "Harvey, thank you for killing whoever you had to kill to get me up here today."

Lawrence concluded her statement by saying that her, “heart goes out to all of the women affected by these gross actions," and that she thanks "them for their bravery to come forward.”

SEE ALSO: 12 famous actors who have publicly praised and thanked Harvey Weinstein, and what they are saying now

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3 women have now come forward and accused Harvey Weinstein of rape

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In the days since The New York Times published a bombshell report filled with sexual-harassment accusations against the film producer Harvey Weinstein, more women are sharing their stories. On Tuesday morning, The New Yorker published an article in which three women accuse Weinstein of rape.

Three women told The New Yorker that Weinstein raped them, detailing allegations that range from Weinstein performing unwanted oral sex on them, forcing them to perform oral sex on him, and forcing vaginal sex.

Sallie Hofmeister, a spokeswoman for Weinstein, issued this statement in response to the allegations in the article:

"Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual. Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path. Mr. Weinstein is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance."

The stories the three women told The New Yorker offer a dramatically different account.

Asia Argento, an Italian film actress and director, told The New Yorker that Weinstein forced oral sex on her 20 years ago. Argento said she did not speak out until now because she was scared Weinstein would "crush" her. "I know he has crushed a lot of people before," Argento told the publication in an interview. "That's why this story — in my case, it's 20 years old, some of them are older — has never come out."

Weinstein "terrified me, and he was so big," she said. "It wouldn't stop. It was a nightmare." Argento told The New Yorker she eventually started to pretend she enjoyed the assault with the hope that doing so would make it end sooner.

The New Yorker also described the account of a woman named Lucia Evans, who the magazine said gave Weinstein her number in 2004 when she was an aspiring actress and college student. The magazine said Weinstein started calling her late at night asking to meet, offers she declined. It said that she eventually met Weinstein at the Miramax office in New York City during the day and that after both demeaning her and complimenting her (he told her she should lose weight) he forced her to perform oral sex on him.

"I said, over and over, 'I don't want to do this, stop, don't,'" Stoller told The New Yorker. "I tried to get away, but maybe I didn’t try hard enough. I didn’t want to kick him or fight him. He’s a big guy. He overpowered me. I just sort of gave up. That’s the most horrible part of it, and that’s why he’s been able to do this for so long to so many women: People give up, and then they feel like it’s their fault."

Another woman, who The New York said was afraid to allow her name to be published, told the magazine that Weinstein brought her to a hotel room for what she expected to be a professional meeting; she said he then changed into a bathrobe and forced himself on her sexually.

The woman told The New Yorker that she had thought about going to the police at the time but was intimidated by Weinstein's power and worried about losing her job. "He drags your name through the mud," she said, "and he’ll come after you hard with his legal team."

For the full article, head over to The New Yorker.

SEE ALSO: 12 famous actors who have publicly praised and thanked Harvey Weinstein, and what they are saying now

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10 things you missed in the new 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' trailer

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The latest "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" trailer doesn't reveal too much, but there are some clues as to what is happening. It looks like Kylo Ren and the First Order have returned to a familiar planet, and Finn may be going undercover in a First Order uniform. And did you catch those new walkers? Following is the text of the video.

Warning: Possible spoilers ahead.

Kylo Ren's scar from "The Force Awakens" has moved. Director Rian Johnson didn't like the old placement. Now it goes across his eyebrow instead of his nose. The scar is similar to Anakin's. These aren't the same AT-ATs from "The Empire Strikes Back." They're the AT-M6 — All Terrain Mega-Caliber Six. They have a weird kind of hand-foot that may prevent them being taken down by rope. These troopers may be on Mustafar — the planet where Obi-Wan took down Anakin. It's also the home of Darth Vader's castle in "Rogue One." We're going to come back to this scene in a bit... There are rumors of a "force tree" Rey will have to enter. Similar to the one Luke entered on Dagobah. Is this it? Rey may find The Journal of the Whills. A history of how the Jedi came to be. This may also be the first Jedi temple — which Han said Luke went looking for in "The Force Awakens." This is probably a flashback — to Kylo Ren burning Luke's Jedi academy. This looks like Kylo Ren is firing on his mom's ship. "Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to." Finn is fighting Captain Phasma while wearing a First Order uniform. Snoke is torturing Rey in the same scene we saw Kylo Ren earlier. These are the robes of Snoke's guards. Kylo's grey band-aid is gone by the end of the trailer. "The Last Jedi" opens Dec 15, 2017

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A chilling NYPD recording captures Harvey Weinstein admitting to groping a woman

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harvey weinstein

An audio recording of Harvey Weinstein aggressively trying to convince model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez to come into his hotel room in 2015 was released by The New Yorker Tuesday.

In the recording, Weinstein can be heard admitting to previously groping Gutierrez. In the New Yorker piece, three other women also accuse Weinstein of rape.

Weinstein was recorded by the New York Police Department for a sting operation in 2015, according to TNY. 

In the audio, Weinstein can be heard repeatedly asking Gutierrez to come into his bathroom for "a minute," to which she adamantly protests, saying that she "doesn't want to," and that she's "not comfortable."

Weinstein swears on his children that he's "not going to do anything," and adds that he's a "famous guy." 

Gutierrez then asks Weinstein, "Why yesterday you touch my breast?" To which Weinstein replies, "Oh, please I'm sorry, just come on in, I'm used to that." Gutierrez can be heard refusing the producer over and over again. Weinstein asks her to stay for at least five minutes. "Don't ruin your friendship with me for five minutes," Weinstein warns her.

After two weeks of investigation on the case, the DA decided not to file charges, according to TNY.

“We had the evidence,” an anonymous police source told TNY. “It’s a case that made me angrier than I thought possible, and I have been on the force a long time.”

The DA's office pointed TNY to a statement made at the time: “This case was taken seriously from the outset, with a thorough investigation conducted by our Sex Crimes Unit. After analyzing the available evidence, including multiple interviews with both parties, a criminal charge is not supported.” 

You can listen to the full audio clip here (Warning: Audio may be disturbing):

SEE ALSO: 12 famous actors who have publicly praised and thanked Harvey Weinstein, and what they are saying now

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Harvey Weinstein accuser Asia Argento just shared the movie scene she filmed based on his alleged sexual assault

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Asia Argento Getty

Following the explosive story in the New York Times last week on movie producer Harvey Weinstein, The New Yorker came out with its own piece Tuesday that includes allegations of sexual assault against the disgraced movie mogul.

One of the revelations is that Weinstein allegedly performed unwanted oral sex on Italian actress-director Asia Argento in a hotel room in 1997.

"It was a nightmare," Argento told The New Yorker.

It was a nightmare that Argento then partially dramatized in public, for all to see.

In 2000, a movie Argento wrote and directed, "Scarlet Diva," was released. It includes a scene that's similar to what she allegedly went through with Weinstein three years earlier.

The character Argento plays, Anna, is cornered in a hotel room by a heavyset producer who asks her for a massage and tries to assault her.

Argento said in The New Yorker story that after the movie was released, other women recognized that the producer character was a portrayal of Weinstein. 

"People would ask me about him because of the scene in the movie," Argento said. Women also told her about similar encounters with Weinstein.

According to Argento, Weinstein — who by that time had built a friendship with Argento — saw the movie when it was released in the US and recognized himself. “Ha, ha, very funny,” Argento recounted him saying to her. But he also allegedly said that he was “sorry for whatever happened.”

Argento said there's one major difference in the movie versus her real life experience. “In the movie I wrote,” she said, “I ran away.”

After The New Yorker story went live, Argento took to Twitter and posted the hotel scene in "Scarlet Diva." 

Watch it below:

SEE ALSO: Martin Scorsese goes nuclear on Rotten Tomatoes in a scathing column

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Ben Affleck says Harvey Weinstein allegations 'made me sick'

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Ben Affleck Harvey Weinstein

Last week, The New York Times shook Hollywood when it published an investigation filled with accusations of sexual harassment against superstar film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Slowly but surely, many celebrities involved in his films have come out with statements against Weinstein. After The New Yorker published an article detailing even more allegations against Weinstein, including three women accusing him of rape, Ben Affleck has made a statement.

On Tuesday, Affleck wrote on his official Facebook page:

"I am saddened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades. The additional allegations of assault that I read this morning made me sick. This is completely unacceptable, and I find myself asking what I can do to make sure this doesn’t happen to others. We need to do better at protecting our sisters, friends, co-workers and daughters. We must support those who come forward, condemn this type of behavior when we see it and help ensure there are more women in positions of power."

Weinstein helped start Affleck's career by producing "Good Will Hunting." Affleck was in the movie and co-wrote the screenplay with Matt Damon. Affleck and Damon won the Oscar for best original screenplay, and went on to have incredibly successful careers in the industry.

On Monday, the founder of The Wrap said that in 2004, The New York Times gutted an article involving sexual-harassment allegations Weinstein, after pressure from Weinstein himself and celebrities including Damon. Affleck wasn't mentioned.

SEE ALSO: 3 women have now come forward and accused Harvey Weinstein of rape

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Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow say Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed them — and Brad Pitt confronted him about it

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Since The New York Times published a bombshell report filled with sexual-harassment accusations against Harvey Weinstein on Thursday, more women in Hollywood have shared their stories of the notorious film producer's past behavior — including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.

On Tuesday morning, The New Yorker published an article in which three women accuse Weinstein of rape.

Now, Paltrow and Jolie have come forward with their stories to The New York Times.

When Paltrow was 22 years old, Weinstein hired her to star in the movie "Emma." Before filming began, she told the Times that Weinstein invited her up to his room at the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel for what she thought was a professional meeting — a common tactic that has emerged in accusations against Weinstein.

Paltrow told the Times that the meeting ended with Weinstein touching her and suggesting they head to the bathroom to massage each other. “I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified.” 

Paltrow said that she refused Weinstein's advances, and told her boyfriend at the time, Brad Pitt, about it. After Pitt confronted Weinstein, Weinstein told Paltrow not to tell anyone else about the incident, she recounted to the Times. "I thought he was going to fire me," Paltrow said. Pitt confirmed her story to the Times via email.

Paltrow, however, continued to appear in Weinstein movies. In 1998, Paltrow won the Oscar for best actress for her work in "Shakespeare in Love," which Weinstein produced.

Angelina Jolie also told the Times that Weinstein harassed her in a hotel room in the late 90s with an unwanted advance. “I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth," Jolie said. "And as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did. This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.”

Rosanna Arquette, who starred in "Pulp Fiction" and French actress Judith Godrèche also have similar stories. Other actresses who have openly accused Weinstein of sexually harassing or assaulting them include Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, Asia Argento, and Mira Sorvino. 

SEE ALSO: 3 women have now come forward and accused Harvey Weinstein of rape

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Andy Serkis on the Harvey Weinstein allegations: 'There's no excuse'

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Andy Serkis Astrid Stawiarz Getty final

With the scandal surrounding movie executive Harvey Weinstein taking an even darker turn on Tuesday — with the publication of a New Yorker story in which three women alleged that Weinstein raped them, followed by Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow coming forward to the New York Times saying Weinstein sexually harassed them — it’s all anyone in the industry can talk about.

Business Insider brought it up to Andy Serkis on Tuesday while he was doing press for his directorial debut, “Breathe” (opening in theaters on Friday). The actor’s claim to stardom was playing Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” movies, a franchise that Weinstein was an executive producer on.

“I think there's no excuse for a culture that allows for any kind of bullying or coercion or predatory behavior, and I think we are behoove not just in this industry, but across all industries, to be vocal about that and to encourage and help and support people who are brave enough to come out,” Serkis said. “We have to challenge people who are in positions of authority if they behave badly.”

On Sunday, Weinstein was fired from running The Weinstein Company. When Business Insider asked Serkis if he would ever consider working with Weinstein in the future if he amazingly got back into the business, Serkis said he wouldn’t.

SEE ALSO: 12 famous actors who have publicly praised and thanked Harvey Weinstein, and what they are saying now

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NOW WATCH: 10 things you missed in the new 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' trailer


How Harvey Weinstein built the $150 million Hollywood empire that just fired him

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Harvey Weinstein has been ousted from his own company after a bombshell New York Times report detailed nearly three decades of inappropriate behavior towards women in Hollywood.

After the Times' report, The New Yorker published an article in which three women accused Weinstein of rape. Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow also came forward and said Weinstein sexually harassed them in the past, detailing their experiences in The Times.

The film producer and cofounder of Miramax Films and The Weinstein Company built an empire from scratch out of Buffalo, New York. 

A behemoth in the media industry, he became a major fundraiser to the Democratic party, positioning himself as a liberal lion and champion of feminism.

But these ideals have come up against the reports he harassed women for years, roiling public opinion and leading to his firing Sunday.

Here's a look at Weinstein's career over the past 30 years.

SEE ALSO: The Department of Justice is allegedly investigating Harvard's admissions practices

Weinstein was born in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens in 1952 to parents Miriam and Max.

He and his brother Bob grew up in small two-bedroom apartment in "a lower-middle-class housing development called Elechester," Bob wrote in Vanity Fair.

Both Harvey and Bob had a passion for the movie business that started when they were kids in Queens going to the Mayfair movie theater to see foreign films.

Weinstein left Queens to attend college at the University of Buffalo. He stuck around in Buffalo to start a concert promotion business called Harvey and Corky Productions.



He bought the Century Theater in downtown Buffalo, and began showing movies when the theater wasn't being used for concerts.

His younger brother, Bob, moved to Buffalo to join him.



Together, in 1979, they created the small independent film distribution company Miramax, a portmanteau of their parent's names: Miriam and Max.

"Miramax virtually created the art house boom in the 1990s by turning offbeat and inexpensive movies like 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Shakespeare in Love' into mainstream hits," wrote the New York Times.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Harvey Weinstein's scandal is a massive blow to his fashion designer wife: 'No star is ever going to want to wear the brand again'

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Harvey Weinstein Georgina Chapman

Allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein have put his wife, fashion designer Georgina Chapman, in a difficult position. 

Chapman's career as co-founder of Marchesa is tightly tied to her husband's success. Stars of Weinstein-backed productions including Renée Zellweger, Cate Blanchett, and Blake Lively have all worn Marchesa on the red carpet, and rumors have floated for years that Weinstein pushed actresses to wear the fashion brand. 

But, with a growing number of allegations of sexual harassment and assault perpetrated by Weinstein, many are wondering if Marchesa will disappear from the red carpet. 

"No star is ever going to want to wear the brand again," an anonymous New York fashion publicist told the Hollywood Reporter on Monday, after Weinstein was ousted from the company he co-founded. 

Here's the story of how Chapman's Marchesa became a red carpet mainstay — and how her fate became intertwined with her husband's. 

SEE ALSO: A top fashion designer is under fire after calling Harvey Weinstein a 'wonderful' person and saying his accusers may have asked for 'trouble'

Georgina Chapman founded Marchesa with Keren Craig in 2004. The same year, the 28-year-old English former model began dating Weinstein.

Source: Jezebel



A 2007 Teen Vogue article — spotted by Jezebel — notes that Marchesa caught on with Hollywood starlets after Renée Zellweger wore a gown from the line to the premiere of "Bridget Jones". "Bridget Jones" was distributed by Miramax, and Zellweger thanked Weinstein during her Oscar speech in 2004.



"Maybe I helped, but just very, very little, with Renée Zellweger,” Weinstein told Vogue in 2013.

Source: Vogue



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Tabloid covers show the insane divorce of Trump and his first wife, Ivana

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Ivana Trump — President Donald Trump's first wife and the mother of Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Trump Jr. — is making headlines once again as she promotes her new book, "Raising Trump."

During a Sunday interview with ABC News, Ivana said she still talks with President Trump regularly but doesn't call the White House directly in order to avoid making first lady Melania Trump jealous. Ivana even referred to herself as the real "first lady." 

"I don't want to cause any kind of jealousy or something like that, because I'm basically first Trump wife. OK? I'm first lady," she said.

In a statement on Monday, Melania's spokeswoman characterized Ivana's comments as "attention-seeking and self-serving noise." Still, it's clear that Ivana is no stranger to stirring up controversy with President Trump and his wives

After Trump's affair with then-26-year-old Marla Maples was revealed in 1989, Ivana and Trump's hugely public divorce became fodder for the tabloids. Trump's rocky relationship with and 1993 marriage to Marla Maples also inspired its fair share of screaming headlines. Below, we've rounded up of some of the most outrageous tabloid covers from that period.

SEE ALSO: First lady feud: Here's the history of Trump's battling wives

"'Ivana better deal': Mrs. T brands Donald's $25M pre-nuptial pact a fraud"



"The Trumps speak out"



"Ivana to Donald at secret sitdown: Gimme the Plaza! ... the jet and $150 million, too"



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The director of Kate Winslet and Idris Elba's new movie recounts the grueling shoot at 11,000 feet — and how the crew almost revolted in the snow

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the mountain between us 2 Kimberley French

When Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad was handed the script for “The Mountain Between Us” three years ago, he knew he wanted to shoot it at a real location.

In an era where practically anything can be created with the most realistic detail in a soundstage, Abu-Assad felt if he was going to put the audience in a harrowing situation like surviving an airplane crash, he would have to also put his cast and crew in that same kind of setting.

That meant shooting for a month on a mountain at an elevation of 11,000 feet.

Based on the 2011 book by Charles Martin, “The Mountain Between Us” (which opened Friday), was a script that had a few false starts before ending up with Abu-Assad. There was the time Michael Fassbender and Margot Robbie were attached, then Charlie Hunnam and Rosamund Pike. When Abu-Assad came around, Jessica Chastain was circling. But it’s easy to understand why stars might have been somewhat hesitant to go forward with the movie: It’s a love story set on a mountain after the two leads survive a plane crash.

The Mountain Between Us 20th Century Fox finalIn the story, Ben and Alex are strangers stranded at the Salt Lake City airport as a major storm grounds all flights. As both desperately need to get back to their homes for important events, Alex comes up with the idea of hiring a pilot with a small plane to fly them back home. Ben tags along. But over the snowy mountains of Utah, the pilot suffers a heart attack, leading to a dramatic crash landing. Ben, Alex, and the pilot’s dog all survive, but with little food they have to figure out quickly how to get rescued. Eventually, Ben and Alex’s journey to be rescued leads to a romance.

It's not the kind of movie that’s an easy sell for a date night.

But Abu-Assad felt with the harrowing journey Ben and Alex have to endure to survive, a powerful love story could also be told.

“The idea was great between a survival tale and it turning out to be a love story, and what's the difference between love and survival? Is there any difference between the two?" Abu-Assad said to Business Insider. "We fall in love, I think, because we want to survive. We want to bring kids to the world. So the theme is very interesting. There aren't many movies being done with the combination of survival and love.”

Soon after signing on, Abu-Assad got a new version of the script following a rewrite by Chris Weitz, which he said was the best version he’d seen yet. With a locked script, Abu-Assad got it to Idris Elba, who was interested but knew the movie needed a strong female costar. Then at the 2015 British Film Academy Awards, Elba and Kate Winslet connected and the two decided they were up for the challenge of making “The Mountain Between Us.”

But even Abu-Assad admits, at times during shooting he wished he had done it all on a soundstage.

the mountain between us 4 Kimberley FrenchFollowing a month of pre-production in late 2016, production shot for a month on the Purcell Mountains in British Columbia (which doubled for the Utah mountain Ben and Alex are stuck on in the movie). Each day started with a helicopter trip up the mountain from the base camp. And not just the cast and crew, but all the equipment had to be flown up each day. Also, the helicopter would only take everyone up if if was a clear day and not a cloud in sight. As Abu-Assad learned the hard way one morning.

“I always flew up first with my DP, first AD, line producer, and location manager,” Abu-Assad said. “We go up and then suddenly we were rounding the mountain and there was this huge cloud on the other side of it. So the pilot had to turn around very fast — because if you go into that cloud you can't see anything, you'd be flying blind — and we went back down the mountain very fast. It was a free fall. It was like a bungee jump. That was the worst day for me.”

Shooting days only lasted six hours because everyone had to get off the mountain by the time the sun went down. And the altitude was a constant battle. Abu-Assad said numerous people fainted, including Elba.

And the elements didn’t just take its toll on the cast and crew, but the equipment as well. With the cold at times getting to around 40 below, all the cameras had to run 24 hours a day because they learned if they turned them off, they would never start back up.

Abu-Assad tried to keep everyone in high spirits through the shoot, but there were bad days.

the mountain between us 3 Kimberley FrenchThe movie, shot by cinematographer Mandy Walker ("Australia," "Hidden Figures"), has gorgeous wide shots of miles of untouched snow with huge mountain ranges for as far as the eye can see. To pull off the look of the characters being in the middle of nowhere, Abu-Assad said the production had to walk for a good mile, lugging all the equipment (which included cranes and dolly tracks), in deep snow. Often up hills. In one instance, the crew almost revolted.

“One day we had walked and set up the shot and were ready, but then I was like 'This is not the right angle, we have to move the camera another half mile,’ because I wanted to get the mountains in the background,” he said. “You should have seen my crew shouting at me. ‘You can't do this!’ I felt really guilty. The line producer was yelling at me, 'Hany, you can't do this!' and I said, ‘We started already, let's continue.’ We all had to work together to make it possible and they did it.”

So despite some days wishing he had a warm coffee in his hands inside a comfortable studio set, Abu-Assad looks back and believes the experience on the mountain was needed to make the movie.

“To be honest, this is what drives me to make movies,” Abu-Assad said. “I want to have a challenge. And an honest picture. Because if you do it in a studio with a green screen, you won't be making honest decisions about your shots, lens, lighting. But when you are on location, every decision is an honest decision because you are hungry, you are cold, you are all in the same situation. The actors didn't need to pretend. We couldn't get food up there. Everyone had energy bars to chew on.”

But Abu-Assad isn’t crazy. Yes, he’d be willing to make a movie in these conditions again, just not the next one.

“The next movie is on a beach,” he said with a laugh. “Sun and beer and beautiful girls.” 

SEE ALSO: Netflix is raising its prices starting this month

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Apple nabbed Steven Spielberg's studio to create an exclusive $5 million per episode sci-fi TV show (AAPL)

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FILE PHOTO: Director Steven Spielberg poses at the premiere of the HBO documentary film

Apple is on a mission to bankroll Hollywood-produced premium video, and its first publicly-revealed purchase involves legendary director Steven Spielberg.

Apple has entered into a deal with Spielberg's company and NBCUniversal to make new episodes of "Amazing Stories," an NBC sci-fi show that was cancelled after two seasons in the 1980s. 

The show will will have a $5 million per-episode budget, according to the Wall Street Journal. For a benchmark, a recent season of HBO's "Game of Thrones" reportedly had a budget of more than $10 million per episode.  It's not entirely clear if Spielberg will have a hands-on role in the new show, though the WSJ says the Oscar-winning director will likely be an executive producer.

This is the first public deal from Apple's new top Hollywood executives, Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who joined the iPhone giant earlier this year from Sony. 

Apple wants to sell additional online services to its hardware customers and has set a goal to double the size of its services business to $50 billion by 2020. A big part of that increase is expected to be driven by a Netflix-style subscription service that offers original, exclusive content.

Apple's first two TV-style shows, "Planet of the Apps" and "Carpool Karaoke," were streamed through Apple's $9.99 music subscription service, Apple Music. They received mixed reviews. 

Apple did not immediately return a request for comment.

SEE ALSO: Forget the iPhone 8 and iPhone X — rumors about next year's iPhones are already starting to emerge

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Matt Damon denies that he tried to 'kill a story' about Harvey Weinstein in 2004

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Matt Damon

Actor Matt Damon has denied reporter Sharon Waxman's claims that he tried to kill her New York Times story about Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual misconduct in 2004. 

"I would never, ever, ever try to kill a story like that. I just wouldn’t do that. It’s not something I would do, for anybody," Damon told Deadline regarding Waxman's claims.

Waxman claimed that Damon and actor Russell Crowe spoke to her right before her article detailing allegations against Weinstein and the head of Miramax Italy at the time (Fabrizio Lombardo), was about to publish — and that shortly after their call her article was "gutted."

Damon said Weinstein told him that Waxman was "writing a story about Fabrizio and it’s really negative," and asked him to call Waxman and share what his experiences with Lombardo had been like. The actor said that he "had perfectly professional experiences with Fabrizio," and that he "didn’t mind telling her that." 

Lombardo was in charge of "Weinstein’s women needs," according to an article Waxman wrote for The Wrap about her Times story. Waxman said she even had people on record saying he had organized gatherings with "Russian escorts." 

Damon insisted he didn't know anything about Lombardo's alleged behavior, and that he only ever knew him in a professional capacity. The actor also said he had no knowledge that Weinstein ever sexually harassed anyone, and that he was completely unaware of any allegations against him until now.

"If there was ever an event that I was at and Harvey was doing this kind of thing and I didn’t see it, then I am so deeply sorry, because I would have stopped it. And I will peel my eyes back now, father than I ever have, to look for this type of behavior," Damon said. 

SEE ALSO: 12 famous actors who have publicly praised and thanked Harvey Weinstein, and what they are saying now

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Susan Fowler, the engineer who took down Uber, is working on a movie deal

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Susan Fowler

Former Uber engineer Susan Fowler's life story is being turned into a Hollywood movie, reports Deadline Hollywood.

Fowler's tell-all blog post about the sexual harassment she says she endured while working at the app-based taxi company turned Uber on its head. And it spurred an investigation that eventually led to the resignation of CEO Travis Kalanick.

The working title of the movie is "Disruptors," Deadline reports. It seems that Oscar-nominated screenwriter Allison Schroeder ("Hidden Figures") has been tapped to write it, with former Disney exec Kristin Burr producing.

We have to wonder if this is the type of project that would interest Megan Ellison of Annapurna Pictures. Ellison is Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison's daughter, so she, of all people in Hollywood, knows what Silicon Valley is all about.

jessica chastainDeadline describes the film as "Erin Brockovich meets The Social Network."

Verve represents Fowler, and, according to Deadline, Schroeder too, and has already been approaching studios.

Fowler didn't immediately respond to our request for comment.

But all of this leads to some obvious questions:

Who should play Fowler?

And who should play Uber's fist-in-the-air founder, Kalanick?

Jeremy Piven Ari GoldWe vote for Jessica Chastain (Maya in "Zero Dark Thirty" and Commander Melissa Lewis in "The Martian") to play Fowler. She does that combination of brains, determination and chutzpah so well.

As for Kalanick: Jeremy Piven (Ari Gold in "The Entourage" and Harry Selfridge in "Mr. Selfridge.") would be perfect! 

SEE ALSO: Uber's head of HR says she never met with Susan Fowler, the woman whose blog post exposed the company

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As more actors speak out against Harvey Weinstein, Terry Crews reveals he was sexually assaulted by another Hollywood executive

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Terry Crews

Since The New York Times published a bombshell report filled with sexual-harassment accusations against Harvey Weinstein, more women in Hollywood have gone public with descriptions of inappropriate behavior by the powerful film producer — including Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Mira Sorvino, Asia Argento, and Rosanna Arquette. 

On Tuesday afternoon, actor Terry Crews ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine") tweeted about an industry event last year where a film executive who is not Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted him. He started out the thread by tweeting that the accusations against Weinstein were giving him PTSD.

Here's the story, which we've condensed so it's easier to read than a Twitter thread:

"This whole thing with Harvey Weinstein is giving me PTSD. Why? Because this kind of thing happened to ME. My wife [and] I were at a Hollywood function last year [and] a high level Hollywood executive came over 2 me and groped my privates. Jumping back I said What are you doing?! My wife saw everything [and] we looked at him like he was crazy. He just grinned like a jerk. I was going to kick his ass right then — but I thought twice about how the whole thing would appear. "240 lbs. Black Man stomps out Hollywood Honcho" would be the headline the next day. Only I probably wouldn’t have been able to read it because I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL. So we left."

Crews said that he talked to everyone he knew and worked with about what happened to him. And he says that the executive called him the next day to apologize, but he never really explained why he did it. Crews opted not to take it further because he didn't want to be "ostracized, par for the course when the predator has power and influence. Who's going to believe you?"

"Hollywood is not the only business where this happens, and to the casualties of this behavior— you are not alone," Crews wrote. "Hopefully, me coming forward with my story will deter a predator and encourage someone who feels hopeless."

SEE ALSO: Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow say Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed them — and Brad Pitt confronted him about it

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Rose McGowan says Ben Affleck knew all about Harvey Weinstein's behavior: 'You lie'

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Ben Affleck Harvey WeinsteinActress Rose McGowan says Ben Affleck knew all about Harvey Weinstein's behavior, despite his statement.

"I am saddened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades," Affleck said in a statement about Weinstein Tuesday. "The additional allegations of assault that I read this morning made me sick."

McGowan has a response: "Ben Affleck f--- off," she tweeted Tuesday.

Last week, The New York Times reported that McGowan had reached a $100,000 settlement with movie executive Harvey Weinstein when she was 23, after an "episode in a hotel room at the Sundance Film Festival." McGowan is part of a torrent of stories and accusations surrounding Weinstein this past week, spanning decades and including both sexual harassment and assault.

On Tuesday, McGowan tweeted that at a press conference she was made to go to "after [the] assault," Affleck had something to say.

"Goddamnit! I told him to stop doing that," McGowan tweeted that Affleck "said to [her] face" at the time.

She added about Affleck, "You lie."

rose mcgowan ben affleck tweet Harvey Weinstein

Here was Affleck's full statement on Weinstein:

I am saddened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades. The additional allegations of assault that I read this morning made me sick. This is completely unacceptable, and I find myself asking what I can do to make sure this doesn’t happen to others. We need to do better at protecting our sisters, friends, co-workers and daughters. We must support those who come forward, condemn this type of behavior when we see it and help ensure there are more women in positions of power.

Representatives for Affleck were not immediately available to comment.

SEE ALSO: Ben Affleck says Harvey Weinstein allegations 'made me sick'

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This addictive free paperclip game is also a terrifying lesson in how artificial intelligence will make us unnecessary

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paperclips

I haven't gotten anything done since lunchtime today because of "Paperclips," a silly free game you can play right in your browser.

"Paperclips" casts you as the overlord behind a paperclips business. It starts as a weirdly compelling time-waster — but it's not long before the subtle, postmodern horror of the whole thing sets in. 

At first, it's all very hands-on. Every time you click the button, you make a paperclip. Your goal is to make paperclips as fast as you can, and price them at a level so that demand doesn't wildly outstrip your supply or your materials on hand.

Before long, the game offers you the AutoClippers, a tool that automatically makes paperclips without your having to push the button. And then you get WireBuyer, which automatically purchases more wire for you to make paperclip as supplies run out. Pretty soon, it's more efficient to let them go than to make paperclips yourself.

And it keeps going from there, to hilarious levels: Eventually, your paperclip making machine will offer you the ability to hypnotize your customers into buying more paperclips, generate a catchy new advertising slogan, and even automatically invest in the stock market.

At a certain point, the game basically plays itself. Your biggest job becomes to task the AI with solving problems like global warming or world peace (seriously). Otherwise, it just chugs on automatically making paperclips and picking stocks. 

And yet, it's weirdly addictive. At the time of this writing, I've been playing for about three hours, and I've made over 700 million paperclips. And yet, really, I've done nothing at all. 

So play "Paperclips." You'll enjoy watching the number of paperclips go up and up and up, as I do. But also, take it as a warning of how unnecessary humans may one day become, as thinking machines evolve from the subject of satire like this and become a crucial part of the global economy.

SEE ALSO: The 11 industries most under threat from artificial intelligence

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Harvey Weinstein's wife is leaving him: 'My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain'

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Harvey Weinstein and new wife Georgina Chapman

Harvey Weinstein's wife, the fashion designer Georgina Chapman, is leaving him amid a series of sexual-harassment allegations.

"My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions," Chapman said in a statement to People Magazine. "I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority and I ask the media for privacy at this time."

Chapman, a prominent designer and the co-founder of the Marchesa brand, married Weinstein in 2007. The couple has two children, India Pearl, 7, and Dashiell Max Robert, 4, according to People.

Actresses including Renée Zellweger, and Cate Blanchett, who have both starred in Weinstein-produced films, have worn Marchesa dresses on the red carpet at Hollywood events, and rumors have floated for years that Weinstein pushed actresses to wear the fashion brand.

Weinstein was fired from his eponymous company earlier this week, The Weinstein Company, following numerous sexual harassment allegations in bombshell reports from The New York Times and The New Yorker magazine. Weinstein's lawyer, Charles Harder, is preparing to sue The New York Times.

Manhattan's district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., declined to file charges against Weinstein in 2015 after Italian model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez reported that Weinstein assaulted her. The New Yorker revealed on Tuesday that during the police investigation of the reported assault, police obtained an audio recording of Weinstein on which he appeared to acknowledge that he groped Gutierrez.

Weinstein is flying to a rehab center in Europe to seek treatment for a sex addiction, TMZ reported on Tuesday evening. An unnamed source told TMZ that Weinstein is "pretty calm," but he has moments "where there are bursts."

Before the fallout over the allegations exploded this week, Weinstein had begged Hollywood power players for help to keep his job at The Weinstein Company. That effort was unsuccessful; the company's board announced on Sunday that it had terminated his employment.

Mark Abadi contributed reporting.

SEE ALSO: Harvey Weinstein's scandal is a massive blow to his fashion-designer wife: 'No star is ever going to want to wear the brand again'

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Eminem torches Trump in an expletive-filled freestyle rap

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eminem trump freestyle rap

Rapper Eminem rapped a four-and-a-half-minute freestyle targeting President Donald Trump on Tuesday night.

The Detroit rapper, like his many contemporaries, has made his career with an ability to articulate searing, and sometimes controversial, broadsides against his opponents. This time, he focused squarely on Trump. The artist conjured "the calm before the storm" in his opening line; a not-so-subtle reference to a phrase Trump recently used during a meeting with military personnel.

Eminem uses that line as a launching point for the first part of his salvo: "But we better give Obama props, 'cause what we got in office now's a kamikaze that'll probably cause a nuclear holocaust — and while the drama pops, and he waits for s--- to quiet down, he'll just gas his plane up and fly around 'till the bombing stops."

"Intensity's heightened, tensions are rising. Trump, when it comes to giving a s---, you're stingy as I am."

The multiplantinum-selling, Grammy-winning rapper hit on several grievances about Trump in his rhymes; the video of which was set at his Detroit home with a crew and a collection of classic cars as his backdrop.

Watch the full video below. Scroll down for a sample of the lyrics:

"That's why he wants us to disband, 'cause he cannot withstand the fact we're not afraid of Trump. F--- walking on eggshells, I came to stomp. That's why he keeps screaming 'drain the swamp' 'cause he's in quicksand."

"It's like we take a step forwards, then backwards; but this is his form of distraction. Plus he gets an enormous reaction when he attacks the NFL, so we focus on that, instead of talking Puerto Rico and gun-reform for Nevada. All these horrible tragedies and he's bored or would rather cause a Twitter storm with the Packers."

"Then says he wants to lower our taxes. Then who's gonna pay for his extravagant trips, back and forth with his fam to his golf resorts and his mansions. Same s--- that he tormented Hillary for and he slandered, then does it more. From his endorsement of Bannon, support for the Klansmen, tiki torches in hand for the soldier that's black and comes home from Iraq and is still told to go back to Africa."

"Fork and a dagger in this racist 94-year-old [sic] grandpa, who keeps ignoring our past; historical, deplorable factors."

"Now if you're a black athlete, you're a spoiled little brat for trying to use your platform or your stature to try to give those a voice who don't have one. He says you're spittin' in the face of vets who fought for us, you bastards."

"Unless you're a POW who's tortured and battered, 'cause to him you're zeroes, 'cause he don't like his war heroes captured. That's not disrespecting the military," Eminem quips, before issuing a warning to some of his own fans who may have voted for Trump:

"And any fan of mine who's a supporter of his, I'm drawing in the sand a line, you're either for or against. And if you can't decide who you like more and you're split on who you should stand beside, I'll do it for you with this: F--- you. The rest of America stand up. We love our military, and we love our country — but we f------ hate Trump."

Eminem called the president a "b----" in another song, "No Favors," which was released in February. The rapper has previously been criticized for his lyrics, some of which are seen as misogynist, violent, and homophobic.

SEE ALSO: Rose McGowan says Ben Affleck knew all about Harvey Weinstein's behavior: 'You lie'

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