Latest news with #DowntoYou
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein's Health Is the Elephant in the Room at His New Trial
As jury selection begins in the Harvey Weinstein retrial, his attorneys have filed an emergency petition to move the former Hollywood mogul to Bellevue Hospital due to what they say is his worsening health. In motions filed Tuesday, Weinstein's team cited a number of health conditions he is suffering from, including chronic myeloid leukemia, diabetes mellitus, 'extensive' coronary artery disease and most recently, a misdiagnosed tongue infection. His team claims his condition could be exacerbated by the stress of the trial, as well as by his current conditions at Rikers Island Correctional Facility. More from The Hollywood Reporter Harvey Weinstein Appears in Court Ahead of Jury Selection In Trial Kevin Smith's 'Dogma' Returning to Theaters in June Julia Stiles Says She Felt "So Slimy" During Harvey Weinstein-Led Reshoots for 'Down to You' 'Preventing him from receiving medical care and oversight at Bellevue Hospital during the stress and rigors of his criminal trial could lead to exacerbation of existing medical conditions, the onset of new medical conditions, and even lead to death,' the filing reads. Opening arguments are tentatively slated to begin next week in Weinstein's trial, in which the former film producer is being retried on criminal sexual charges and a rape charge related to respective claims from former television production assistant Miriam Haley and from aspiring actress Jessica Mann, after his 2020 conviction was overturned in April 2024. Weinstein is being newly charged with a criminal sexual charge related to claims from a third woman, who has yet to come forward publicly, but is also expected to testify as part of the trial. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Going into the trial, Weinstein's health has been the elephant in the room, as journalists and onlookers have wondered how dire the former mogul's condition is and much of it is his team's legal maneuvering. His legal team has helped push the narrative, as they have repeatedly brought up his medical issues throughout the past several months, as part of an effort to get Weinstein transferred to the prison wing at Bellevue Hospital, rather than Rikers. Weinstein has also been hospitalized several times, including in December and in September, when he underwent emergency heart surgery. He has appeared at his court hearings in a wheelchair. Weinstein has also filed suit against the City of New York, Rikers Island and Bellevue Hospital seeking $5 million in damages due to what he says has been negligent treatment, as well as being sent back to Rikers prematurely after hospital stays. In January, Weinstein himself spoke to Judge Curtis J. Farber in open court and urged him to move the trial date earlier, saying 'I won't be here for April.' Weinstein also cited the poor conditions at Rikers at the time, and said 'I'm in a serious emergency situation, I'm begging for you to move your date. I need to get out of this hellhole as quickly as possible.' The trial date was not moved up, as the judge had a preceding trial, and Weinstein has appeared at several court hearings since then, including last Wednesday. Weinstein did ask to waive his appearance in court last Thursday due to his health. Despite the publicity and push from his team, Weinstein's health will not be allowed to be discussed during the trial, per a pre-trial ruling from Farber, unless Weinstein decides to testify on the stand. According to his filings, Weinstein was most recently sent to Bellevue Hospital due to 'medical complications' which included a tongue infection that had been misdiagnosed at Rikers Island. He also faces a litany of other health matters, which have also included rapid weight gain due to fluid retention, severe mobility and thyroid issues, with a letter from a physician at NYU Langone, saying 'he has been admitted 4 times from Rikers to Bellevue Hospital in the last six months with severe fluid overload and congestive heart failure,' which is related to his treatment for leukemia. His attorneys have cited the poor conditions at Rikers as exacerbating the problem, with Imran H. Ansari writing in an April 11 email to New York City officials that Weinstein's 'current state of health is critical,' due to the tongue infection, and 'significant water retention,' leading to rapid weight gain, and recent vomiting. 'It is outrageous and inexcusable that Harvey Weinstein—who is battling cancer, diabetes, and a host of other serious medical conditions—is being subjected to such neglect and mistreatment under the care of New York City. His medications are routinely delayed or administered improperly, he has gained an alarming amount of fluid weight due to mismanagement of his health, and he's left freezing in his cell without even clean clothes. This is not incarceration—it's deliberate indifference,' Juda Englemayer, a spokesperson for Weinstein, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein Appears in Court Ahead of Jury Selection In Trial
Harvey Weinstein appeared in court Wednesday as his defense team and prosecutors battled over remaining motions ahead of his upcoming trial. Jury selection is currently scheduled to start April 15 for Weinstein, who faces a retrial on the charges of criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree. In September, he was indicted on a new charge of criminal sexual act in the first degree. More from The Hollywood Reporter Kevin Smith's 'Dogma' Returning to Theaters in June Julia Stiles Says She Felt "So Slimy" During Harvey Weinstein-Led Reshoots for 'Down to You' Expect a Long Trial for Harvey Weinstein's Next Court Battle Weinstein and his team have often cited his poor health as a reason to get the trial started with urgency, and his health came into account again Wednesday, as the former mogul, seated in a wheelchair, asked his attorney to tell the judge that his treatment during Wednesday's lunch break was 'horrendous,' with his attorney, Arthur Aidala, citing his age, 73, and saying he 'needs some form of nourishment.' 'He cannot be in a diminished state during the course of this trial,' Aidala said. 'He's a 73-year-old man.' Weinstein waived his appearance Thursday due to his health issues, as the two parties work through remaining motions ahead of the trial, which is expected to last four to six weeks. Weinstein has been diagnosed with leukemia among a number of other medical conditions and has been brought to the hospital a few times in the last 12 months. Despite the focus on Weinstein's health during the pre-trial proceedings, Judge Curtis J. Farber ruled in an earlier hearing that his condition will not be allowed to be brought up in court, unless he testifies on the stand. During Wednesday's hearing, Farber also reversed his earlier decision and ruled that one of the three witnesses in the case, complaining witness #2, will be allowed to use the word 'force' or describe the use of force. Weinstein's defense team had sought to preclude the term after Weinstein had been acquitted of his prior rape charge that alleged he had used force. They argued that the witnesses use of the term would open the door to informing jurors that Weinstein had been acquitted of the rape charge. In an earlier proceeding, Farber had ruled that neither party can use evidence or arguments related to the reversal of Weinstein's 2020 conviction nor talk about the jury's decision to acquit Weinstein on certain charges at that time. On Wednesday, Farber told Weinstein's team they could cross examine the witness or he could add jury instructions if they were concerned about the prior conviction coming up in trial. However, Aidala told reporters during the lunch break Wednesday that this could be a potential issue for appeal. The majority of the day was spent on a motion by Weinstein's team to disqualify assistant district attorney Shannon Lucey from the case, as they said they would not be able to question her on the stand in regards to notes she took from one of the complaining witnesses. After heated arguments and several conversations in chambers, Weinstein's team agreed to withdraw the motion, so long as a stipulation was given to the jury about the notetaking. The two parties had yet to reach an agreement on the exact language for the stipulation, and planned to continue discussions overnight and into a hearing Thursday. Lucey took notes during an interview with one of the complaining witnesses in 2020. At the time, that witness was not part of Weinstein's criminal case. But the witness returned for grand jury testimony in 2024, at which time Lucey also took notes. Weinstein's team argued there are inconsistencies between the notes, while prosecutors argued that the notes were not verbatim and the early sessions were 'brief.' If the witness testified to use of force beyond what was included in the notes during the trial, Weinstein's team argued they would want to question the notetaker, Lucey, on the stand, but would be prohibited from doing so because she's part of the prosecution. If Lucey were to be disqualified, prosecutors had said they would need 60 days to replace her, delaying the start of the trial. Weinstein's attorneys argued that their client did not want to wait that long due to his health. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein Defends Making Julia Stiles Dance in ‘Down to You,' Says It Was to ‘Enhance the Film's Appeal'
From his jail cell at Rikers Island on Sunday, Harvey Weinstein insisted that the dancing scene in 'Down to You' that made Julia Stiles feel 'slimy,' improved the 2000 rom-com. Weinstein, who produced the film, said that having Stiles character dance around a pool table 'enhance[d] the film's appeal.' 'I felt so slimy doing it the whole time,' Stiles told Brett Goldstein on his 'Films To Be Buried With' podcast last week while discussing her experience making the film. 'It was annoying. Because I was like, 'Well, this is so cheap, and it's not adding to the story.'' In a statement shared with the media, Weinstein said, 'Julia Stiles is a talented and charismatic actress who naturally connects with audiences. Beyond her acting skills, she's also a fantastic dancer, which was something fans really wanted at the time.' He added, 'I included that scene in 'Down to You' to enhance the film's appeal, and her chemistry with Freddie Prinze Jr. made it work seamlessly.' It continued, 'As a filmmaker, I've always sought ways to elevate a project, and when I see an opportunity to make a film better, I take it. That same instinct led David O. Russell and me to cast Julia in 'Silver Linings Playbook,' where she once again delivered a standout performance.' Stiles said that the script of 'Down to You' was 'very good' until 'Harvey Weinstein got his hands on it.' The actress told EW in 2019 that Weinstein took the film from being 'a lot darker' and 'really mature' and turned it into a 'commercial, upbeat romantic comedy.' Weinstein was found guilty on three counts of rape and sexual assault in a 2022 Los Angeles trial. His 2020 conviction for rape in New York, however, was overturned last year by the state's court of appeals. A retrial is pending. DailyBeast was first to report the news. The post Harvey Weinstein Defends Making Julia Stiles Dance in 'Down to You,' Says It Was to 'Enhance the Film's Appeal' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein addresses Julia Stiles' remarks about' Down to You' dance scene, says it enhanced film's appeal
Convicted sex offender and former film producer Harvey Weinstein is speaking out after Julia Stiles recently remarked that she felt 'slimy' having to film a pool table dance sequence that he added into her 2000 rom-com, Down to You. 'Julia Stiles is a talented and charismatic actress who naturally connects with audiences. Beyond her acting skills, she's also a fantastic dancer, which was something fans really wanted at the time,' Weinstein said in a statement given to Entertainment Weekly by his spokesperson. 'I included that scene in Down to You to enhance the film's appeal, and her chemistry with Freddie Prinze Jr. made it work seamlessly.' It continued, 'As a filmmaker, I've always sought ways to elevate a project, and when I see an opportunity to make a film better, I take it. That same instinct led David O. Russell and me to cast Julia in Silver Linings Playbook, where she once again delivered a standout performance." Related: Julia Stiles recalls SNL cameo coming together in 1 day: 'I scrambled to get someone to take care of my kids' Stiles, 43, reflected on her and Freddie Prinze Jr.'s romantic comedy on a recent episode of Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein's Films to be Buried With podcast, noting that she considers it to be in contention for one of the worst films ever made. "It was a time when teen rom-coms were really popular, and the director wrote the script. He was a first-time director and he was a very, very intelligent, capable guy. The script was very good," she explained at the time. "And then Harvey Weinstein got his hands on it." The film, which was directed by Kris Isacsson, follows the never-ending trials and tribulations of a young college couple played by Stiles and Prinze Jr. In one scene, Stiles' character dances around a pool table while listening to Al Green's influential hit, 'Let's Stay Together.' The actress claimed on the podcast that the scene was crammed into the film 'because of the success of Save the Last Dance, or the success of 10 Things I Hate About You,' calling it a 'dumb' attempt to 'capitalize on this trend' in her films at the time. 'I felt so slimy doing it the whole time,' Stiles confessed. 'It was annoying. Because I was like, 'Well, this is so cheap, and it's not adding to the story.'' Related: Harvey Weinstein reportedly diagnosed with bone marrow cancer while in prison for sex crimes Stiles previously reflected on Down to You while speaking with Entertainment Weekly in 2019, noting that it 'changed a lot from the development process to the finished product.' She added, 'Kris Isacsson had a vision for it that was a lot darker, so I remember thinking it was really mature. Then Harvey Weinstein and Miramax ended up producing it and turned it into a movie that was much more of a commercial, upbeat romantic comedy, for better or worse.' Weinstein — who has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women over the years — was previously convicted of committing a criminal sex act in the first degree and rape in the third degree in a 2020 New York trial. Last year, his conviction was overturned by the New York court of appeals and a retrial was ordered. In addition to his New York case, Weinstein was also found guilty on three counts of rape and sexual assault in a 2022 Los Angeles trial. He is currently being held at the Rikers Island prison. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Express Tribune
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Harvey Weinstein Responds to Julia Stiles' Claims About On-Set Experience
Harvey Weinstein has addressed Julia Stiles' recent remarks about feeling uncomfortable with an acting direction he gave during the production of Down to You. During an appearance on Brett Goldstein's Films to be Buried With podcast, Stiles, 43, reflected on her experience filming the 2000 romantic comedy alongside Freddie Prinze Jr. The movie, written and directed by Kris Isacsson, was distributed by Miramax, the production company co-founded by Weinstein. Stiles claimed that Weinstein insisted on adding a dance scene to the film, allegedly attempting to replicate her popular dance moments from 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance. She criticized the addition as 'cheap' and unnecessary, saying, 'I felt so slimy doing it the whole time.' Weinstein, who is currently serving a prison sentence for multiple convictions of rape and sexual assault, responded from prison in a statement shared with The Daily Beast. He described Stiles as a 'talented and charismatic actress' and defended the scene, arguing that her dancing was something audiences appreciated. He stated the decision was made to 'enhance the film's appeal' and praised her on-screen chemistry with Prinze Jr. He further cited his past decision to cast Stiles in Silver Linings Playbook as an example of how he sought to elevate projects. Weinstein has been incarcerated since 2020 following his conviction in New York. In 2023, he received an additional 16-year sentence in Los Angeles. He is currently awaiting a retrial on further charges.
