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Harvey Weinstein has denied raping women and apologized for his adultery – those are just two of the statements made in a new interview the Hollywood Reporter’s Maer Roshan conducted with the disgraced movie mogul at Rikers Island. It is Weinstein’s first interview from prison.
In the wide-ranging conversation with THR, Weinstein again denied ever sexually harassing women, claiming he may have “misled” them. He only showed remorse for his adultery.
“I misled them,” he said of his accusers. “I cheated on both of my wives. That’s immoral. But I didn’t attack them. That’s the big lie behind it all. I won’t apologize for anything I didn’t do. I’ll appear innocent. I promise you that.”
Weinstein acknowledges “power imbalance.”
Although he acknowledged a “power imbalance” towards his alleged victims, he maintained his denial of the assault allegations. “I know I can be intimidating and difficult. But that’s not sexual assault. Over-flirting, ridiculous situations. Bad and stupid behavior. Yes,” he said. “But I didn’t push anyone. I didn’t physically move anyone. I didn’t do that, Maer. And I took lie detector tests to prove it.”
Asked whether his “strict non-disclosure agreements” and hiring of private investigators to monitor his accusers indicated wrongdoing, he replied: “Yes, but the wrong thing I did wasn’t sexual assault. It was adultery. I was desperate to keep it a secret from my wife. I didn’t want Disney to find out about it. And I did everything I could to protect myself from this scandal.”
In addition to denying the assault allegations, he also claimed that he never ruined anyone’s career. In connection with his once “good friend” Gwyneth Paltrow, who had spoken openly about his behavior, he claimed that she “wanted to be part of the club” – by which he said he also meant Rosanna Arquette and Angelina Jolie, who had “exaggerated”. He added: “And they destroyed me.” Of Paltrow, he claimed that she was “making such a fuss about nothing. I left with her after a nice meeting and said, ‘How about a massage?’ And she just said, ‘No, I don’t think so.’ I got the message.”
His “fatal mistake”
As for his “fatal mistake,” he admitted, “I overstepped my boundaries. That’s for sure. I could be a terrible bully. I used power in an arrogant way. And I was pushy and persistent, and I’m very sorry for that. I’m ashamed of that behavior and I recognize it now in a way I couldn’t before.”
Almost 100 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. He faces a new trial next month in New York in connection with the allegations made by actress Jessica Mann. In June 2025, a New York jury found Weinstein guilty of one count of criminal sexual conduct at his retrial. He was acquitted on another count of criminal sexual conduct. On a third count of rape, the jury was unable to reach a verdict, resulting in a miscarriage of justice. In the original 2020 trial, Weinstein was convicted of a felony sex crime and third-degree rape. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison. In 2024, an appeals court overturned the verdict.
At his 2022 trial in Los Angeles, a city jury found him guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault for forcing his way into her Los Angeles hotel room and sexually assaulting an Italian actress during a film festival in February 2013.
