Naomi Judd Threatened Violence When Ashley Judd Talked to Her About Harvey Weinstein
When country music icon Naomi Judd learned her daughter, actor and activist Ashley Judd, had allegedly been harassed by Harvey Weinstein as a young actor, she had a fierce response. Read on to find out what Naomi said she wanted to do when Ashley told her a horrific story about finding herself alone in a hotel room with Weinstein.
Ashley Judd was one of Harvey Weinstein’s original accusers
According to Ashley, Weinstein made sexual advances when she was a young actor in Hollywood filming the movie Kiss the Girls. He allegedly invited her for a breakfast meeting, got her to come to his hotel room where he was dressed in a robe, and eventually asked her to watch him shower.
She told ABC News she rebuffed him and left. But she claimed he derailed her career, something filmmaker Peter Jackson corroborated.
More than 100 women eventually came forward with allegations that the former film producer had sexually harassed or assaulted them. A judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison for criminal sexual act and three years in prison for rape.
Naomi Judd said Ashley Judd shared Harvey Weinstein allegations with her right away
Access Hollywood asked Naomi when she found out her daughter accused Weinstein of sexual harassment. “Right afterwards,” she answered. “She called and said, ‘You’re not going to believe what happened.'”
WARNING: Naomi’s response was a little graphic. “Of course, I was so furious that something like that could happen to my kid and so furious about him,” she said. “I knew immediately. I said, ‘I’m going to go out there and cut off his penis.'”
Ashley waited decades to share her story with the public, but she shared her plan with her mom first. “She came over and sat down and took my hand and said, ‘Mama, I need your opinion.’ She said, ‘I’m thinking of writing an article. Maybe I’ll give it to The New York Times about Harvey Weinstein,'” the country music legend explained.
“She said, ‘You do remember everything.’ I said, ‘I remember everything.‘”
Harvey Weinstein claimed he and Ashley Judd were friends
Notably, Weinstein responded to Ashley’s allegations by pointing to a photo of them together as so-called proof they were friends. She spoke to ABC News regarding that image.
“I hoped I wouldn’t pass him, but I did and he, obviously, grabbed my hand,” she said of the picture. “It’s like the look on my face is abject terror. I can see it in my eyes.”
“It’s very gross. It’s very gross,” she added. “I feel bad for that 28, 29-year-old woman.”
Still, she would share kind words with him if she saw him. She said she would tell him, “I love you and I understand that you are sick and suffering, and there is help for a guy like you, too, and it’s entirely up to you to get that help.”
Ashley said keeping that attitude makes moving on simpler. She shared, “Frankly, it’s an easier way to roll through the world than the alternative.”
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
