Actor and #MeToo activist Rose McGowan has spoken out on behalf of her friend and fellow Harvey Weinstein accuser Asia Argento about the apparent suicide of Argento’s boyfriend Anthony Bourdain.
McGowan reportedly emailed the statement to editors at multiple news outlets, and The Hollywood Reporter published the statement, which McGowan says was written while she was sitting with Argento, in full.
“Sitting across from me is the remarkable human and brave survivor, Asia Argento, who has been through more than most could stand, and yet stand she does,” McGowan wrote.
“She stood up to her monster rapist and now she has to stand up to yet another monster, suicide. The suicide of her beloved lover and ally, Anthony Bourdain. I write these truths because I have been asked to.”
Argento and Bourdain had been dating for about two years, after meeting in 2016 on the set of Bourdain’s CNN series, “Parts Unknown.” Bourdain spoke frequently of his affection for Argento, an actor and director, and vocally supported her after she was among the first group of women to accuse mega-producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault. Weinstein has since been indicted by a grand jury on rape charges. In the last months of his life, Bourdain was an outspoken advocate of the #MeToo movement.
A portion of McGowan’s statement appears to make reference to internet chatter that has been accusatory towards Argento, who was photographed embracing and holding hands with a male reporter in Rome days before Bourdain’s death.
Anthony and Asia had a free relationship, they loved without borders of traditional relationships, and they established the parameters of their relationship early on. Asia is a free bird, and so was Anthony. Was. Such a terrible word to write. I’ve heard from many that the past two years they were together were some of his happiest and that should give us all solace.
McGowan also wrote that both Argento and Bourdain battled a deep depression, and claimed that Bourdain had sought help.
“I know before Anthony died he reached out for help, and yet he did not take the doctor’s advice,” McGowan wrote.
“And that has led us here, to this tragedy, to this loss, to this world of hurt. Do NOT do the sexist thing and burn a woman on the pyre of misplaced blame. Anthony’s internal war was his war, but now she’s been left on the battlefield to take the bullets.”
Shorty after the news broke of Bourdain’s death, Argento published a statement of her own on Twitter:
— Asia Argento (@AsiaArgento) June 8, 2018
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
[Feature image: Asia Argento and Rose McGowan/Alessandra Tarantino for Associated Press]
