NEW YORK: Fallen movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was expected to plead innocent Tuesday to rape and sexual assault charges in New York, opening a legal battle for the #MeToo movement that dreams of seeing him behind bars.
The 66-year-old Weinstein was charged with rape and a sex crime in New York late last month, nearly eight months after his career imploded in a blaze of accusations of sexual misconduct.
Weinstein is due in a Manhattan court at 10am local time (1400 GMT), for a formal reading of the indictment: he has been indicted for allegedly forcing a woman to perform oral sex on him in 2004, and for allegedly raping another at a Manhattan hotel in 2013. That crime could put him in prison for as many as 25 years.
Two women are named in this indictment. But nearly a hundred have said since October they were harassed or sexually abused by Weinstein over several decades.
That has turned the one-time toast of Hollywood into the catalyst of the MeToo movement and arguably one of the worst sexual predators in recent American history.
Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie are among more than two dozen actresses who say they were sexually harassed by the producer. A few, including Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, said they were raped.
Benjamin Brafman, Weinstein’s lawyer, is one of America’s most celebrated criminal defense attorneys. His past clients include former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who escaped criminal prosecution for alleged sexual assault in 2011.
No details about the identity of the two accusers were given by the prosecutor.
Brafman said the rape complaint came from a woman who had a 10-year affair with Weinstein, but the information was not confirmed.
The accusation of forced fellatio comes from Lucia Evans, a marketing consultant who, in 2004, was an aspiring actress. She told her story in October to the magazine The New Yorker.
Her story resembles many other reports of unwanted contact from stars such as Ashley Judd or Paltrow.
But especially countless were young unknown or just emerging stars who hoped to see the revered producer make them Hollywood stars.
Evans tells how he spoke of a possible place in his show for aspiring models “Project Runway,” before forcing her into oral sex, and then went about the day as if nothing had happened.
The prosecutor will still have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Weinstein committed illegal acts, and with these two women specifically.
No one, however, expects the lawsuits will be dropped, as was the case for Strauss-Kahn.
Indeed, it is the same Brafman who defended the former IMF director against the same Manhattan prosecutor, Cyrus Vance.
Harvey Weinstein set to plead innocent in New York sexual assault charges
Harvey Weinstein set to plead innocent in New York sexual assault charges
Simi, Haze Khadra thank Saudi fans after beauty masterclass
DUBAI: US Palestinian beauty moguls Simi and Haze Khadra concluded their beauty masterclass sessions in Riyadh this week, before flying to Dubai.
The masterclass sessions celebrate the Middle East launch of their eponymous label SimiHaze Beauty, with their products now available to purchase at Sephora stores in the region.
“Best day with all the amazing people in Riyadh. Thank you so much for all the love and so happy you all love everything,” the sisters posted on Instagram Stories.
The twins launched their US-born cosmetics brand in 2021 with a range of stick-on makeup designs that can be placed on the face for a bold beauty look achievable within seconds. The sticker book features an array of edgy designs inspired by their favorite DJ looks from the past, such as chrome wings, neon negative space eyeliner and holographic cat-eyes.
SimiHaze Beauty has expanded to include a range of products, including lipsticks, bronzing powders, a lifting mascara and more.
‘Chicago’ musical to hit the stage in the UAE
DUBAI: “Chicago,” the American musical with the longest Broadway tenure, is set to be performed in the UAE in September.
The musical will hit the stage at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena for a limited run from Sept.12-22.
“Chicago” is a tale of passion, murder, greed, betrayal and redemption through the journey of two competitive women – an aspiring jazz performer, Roxie Hart, and a former vaudeville star, Velma Kelly.
The production spawned numerous beloved tunes such as “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango” and "Razzle Dazzle.”
Since its premiere on Broadway New York 27 years ago, “Chicago” has played in major cities around the world like London, Sydney, Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, Berlin and Madrid.
Floris London’s Edward Bodenham on designing scents for the Middle East
DUBAI: Established in 1730, British perfume label Floris London is the only perfumer to hold royal warrants in the UK. With a historic client list that includes British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, the storied label is also particularly interested in the Arab world — besides designing bespoke fragrances for clientele in the region, the brand has released a men’s scent that is exclusive to the Middle East.
Having designed custom fragrances for individuals in the region before, Edward Bodenham, brand director of Floris London, told Arab News that that the perfumery team “noted a trend in warm, comforting, deep fragrances. Definitely, a strong connection to rose, patchouli and precious Cambodian oud oil … a particular highlight to the forward-thinking taste of these clients is their interest in dynamic notes like cashmere and smoke.”
The untrained nose will be able to detect the vast differences in typically European scents and those that are popular across the Middle East, and Bodenham made further distinctions between British perfumes and those found in mainland Europe.
“The differences between traditionally English or British fragrances and those that are popular in the Gulf is that our classic scents generally tend to be lighter in comparison. I would say that French and Italian fragrances, generally speaking, tend to be more intense though, so more similar to fragrances popular in the Gulf,” he said.
With regard to their latest regional offering, Santal Intense, Bodenham explained that it builds on the same notes found in the Santal Eau de Toilette that was released in the early 2000s.
“When creating the original Santal we wanted to compose a sandalwood themed fragrance for a new generation. We created a scent with a reassuring fougere theme, but with some modern and unexpected twists, like the inclusion of notes of green grass, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg and tonka bean,” he said, using the term “fougere” that means “fern-like” in French and describes one of the main fragrance families.
“When creating Santal Intense we focused on increasing the levels of amber, woody amber and frankincense within the fragrance, which provided a greater depth and longevity as well as increasing the sillage of the scent,” he explained, referring to the scent trail that a perfume leaves behind as it evaporates.
Floris London’s royal warrants give the label the right to be named as an official supplier to the British royal family and use the royal coat of arms on their products.
“I think that, to some extent, holding royal warrants and having a connection to the British royal family does have an appeal, because, unlike a sponsorship from a celebrity who is paid to use and endorse a fragrance, the royal family remain impartial and are free to choose and support fragrances from any fragrance house they prefer,” Bodenham commented on the company’s royal connection.
Emily Blunt, Ryan Gosling laud stunt performers in ‘The Fall Guy’
TEXAS: Hollywood stars Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling pay tribute to stunt actors in a film by director David Leitch, who himself started as a stunt actor. Loosely based on the 1980s TV series about stunt performers, “The Fall Guy,” which releases in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, is billed as blending humor, romance, mystery, and action.
“It's a celebration of our incredible industry and this film is about that, but it's really to just broadcast the incredible and indelible work of stunt performers and what they've done for cinema,” Blunt said in an interview with Arab News.
“What they've done for people's entertainment … they've risked life and limb to give people that crackling sense of wonder that you feel in movies and it's time they got their outing,” she added.
In a challenge to the invasion of digital effects in film, not only is “The Fall Guy’ packed with stunts but it has officially set a Guinness World Record for the most cannon rolls in a car, performed by stunt driver Logan Holladay. Eight-and-a-half rolls broke the previous record of seven, set by Adam Kirley for 2006’s “Casino Royale.”
Gosling praised the film for giving a platform to stunt performer.
“I had a stunt double my whole life. And it's always been this strange dynamic where they come in, they do all the cool stuff, and then they go and hide and you pretend like you did it and it's not cool, it's about time that recognize (their work),” he said.
The film follows the story of Colt Sievers, a stuntman who left his job to focus on his own health. When the star of a big-budget movie directed by his ex-girlfriend goes missing, he is recalled to active duty.
“Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham also stars in the film. The British actress shed light on what the movie means to her.
“You know, we shot it this time last year in Sydney. Starting in late November, October time. So to finally be here, I feel like I've had to keep a lid on it for so long. And my brother and I were obsessed with “The Fall Guy” when I was little, when I was like ten years old so it's so lovely,” she said.
Model Imaan Hammam walks for Ralph Lauren in New York
DUBAI: Dutch Moroccan Egyptian model Imaan Hammam hit the runway in New York City on Monday at the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 show.
Hammam graced the catwalk in a soft, ethereal button-down silk dress in a radiant metallic cream hue. Her ensemble also featured a beige cardigan that was buttoned at the center.
Completing her look, a matching purse was draped over her shoulder and she flaunted shoulder-grazing dangling earrings.
The show, which was minimal in Ralph Lauren terms, was inspired by Lauren’s first women’s fashion show in 1972, where he displayed his wares to editors and friends in his own office.
In front of a typically starry front row that included actors Glenn Close, Jessica Chastain, Kerry Washington, Rebecca Hall and Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren opened his show on a note of timelessness — his longtime ethos — with the appearance of muse and supermodel Christy Turlington, now 55, in a sleek beige wool coat.
The collection featured a series of designs in soothing neutral tones — tans, browns, grays, black and metallics. The soft palette characterized both daytime garments like tailored jackets and sweaters with trousers, and evening wear like slinky, sequined gowns. There were roomy sweaters, lots of boots and wide leather belts with “RL” buckles.
There were Lauren’s familiar Western accents, like long fringes on coats and jacket sleeves. And especially the occasional cowboy hat, which accompanied not only casual ensembles but, to close out the show with a memorable look, a backless gown dress in sparkly gold.
Lauren, 84, appeared briefly at the end, in well-worn jeans, to cheers from the crowd.
Close wore a white Lauren pantsuit. “This is a very, very special suit,” the actor said at the event. “It was made especially for me. Custom. Five years ago. I won a SAG award in it. So here I am. It looks just as beautiful. It’s a shame to wear something like this only once.”
Close added that growing up in New England, “the mentality was, you buy something that has great quality and then you wear it until it wears out. That’s how I was brought up.”
