‘More will be revealed’: Rose McGowan says to ‘be gentle’ about Asia Argento sexual assault allegations

Actress and #MeToo activist Rose McGowan has spoken out about accusations that her friend and fellow victim of alleged sexual assault Asia Argento paid hundreds and thousands of dollars in hush money to a former co-star who said she sexually assaulted him when he was a minor.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Argento, one of Harvey Weinstein’s alleged victims, reportedly paid an actor who one played her son in a film she directed $380,000 in response to a letter of intent to sue. The actor, Jimmy Bennett, reportedly accused Argento of sexually assaulting him during a meeting in a hotel room in 2013, when he was 17 and she was 37. The letter of intent, obtained by the New York Times, claims that Argento kissed the boy, took his pants off, performed oral sex and then had sexual intercourse with him after providing him with alcohol. She also allegedly asked the family member who dropped Bennett off at the meeting to leave so that she could be alone with him.

According to the New York Times report, the terms of the settlement mean that Bennett cannot sue Argento or publish the photographs the two reportedly took in bed during that meeting.

Argento, who was dating Anthony Bourdain at the time of his suicide in June, was one of the first women to come forward and accuse megaproducer Harvey Weinstein of rape, and has continued to be a vocal leader of the #MeToo movement, which Bourdain vehemently supported. The Italian actress and director accused Harvey Weinstein of raping her during the Cannes film festival when she was 21 years old. Actress Rose McGowan is also among the dozens of Weinstein accusers, and she and Argento appear to have formed a close friendship.

On Monday, McGowan shared messages on Twitter about the allegations against Argento, claiming that she was “heartbroken” and seeming to distance herself from the actress by noting that she had only gotten to know her during the last 10 months. McGowan also cautioned her followers to be “gentle” with Argento.

Argento has not yet spoken out about the allegations.