Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
Harvey Weinstein has criticised Gwyneth Paltrow in his first interview from jail, arguing she “owes her career” to him while continuing to reject the most serious allegations against him.
Speaking while being held at Rikers Island, the former Hollywood producer reflected on past relationships, claimed former allies had abandoned him, and again disputed accusations that led to criminal cases and convictions.
Paltrow was among the well-known figures he referenced, after she previously shared an account of an alleged early-career encounter with Weinstein.
Weinstein discussed their history and questioned her decision to speak publicly.
“Because she was a good friend of mine. I don’t know what drove her to do what she did. To make such a big deal over nothing.”
He then gave his own account of what he says happened during a meeting with her.
“I walked out of a nice meeting with her and said, ‘How about a massage?’ And she just went, ‘No, I don’t think so’. I got the message. I never put my hands on her.”
Weinstein also claimed Brad Pitt confronted him at the time. Pitt and Paltrow began dating after meeting on Se7en in 1994, later becoming engaged before separating in 1997.
“She told Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt came to me and said, ‘Don’t do anything like that with my girl.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry, Brad. I got it’,”
He went on to criticise Paltrow for speaking about him during the #MeToo movement, which played a major role in his public downfall.
Paltrow has alleged that after she was cast in 1996’s Emma, Weinstein asked her for a massage in his hotel room when she was 22.
Weinstein was later jailed after allegations that surfaced during #MeToo triggered investigations and court cases, leading to convictions in New York and Los Angeles and prison sentences for sex crimes.
He argued that her public comments exaggerated the incident and suggested she acted to align with broader public sentiment.
“But then Gwyneth goes on Howard Stern and The New York Times and makes a big deal about it all. She knows that nothing happened. But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back. She wanted to be part of the crowd. I won’t forgive her for that.”
Elsewhere, Weinstein described his day-to-day experience in custody as “hell,” saying he spends most of his time confined to his cell, with limited interaction beyond guards, medical staff, lawyers, and family.
While maintaining he did not sexually assault women, he acknowledged some of his conduct was inappropriate and said he had crossed lines.
“Did I make a pass at some of these women unsuccessfully? Did I overplay my hand? Yes. Was I pushy or overly seductive? Yes to all of that.”
“I overstepped my boundaries. That’s for sure. I could be a horrible bully.”
Despite the convictions and ongoing legal disputes that followed allegations first widely reported in 2017, Weinstein continued to insist he never committed the crimes many women have accused him of.
Representatives for Paltrow have been approached for comment.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via
online.rainn.org