Cara Delevingne is the latest major star to claim that she was sexually harassed by Hollywood mega-producer Harvey Weinstein.
The Academy Award-winning Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love and Clerks producer has faced historic allegations of sexual impropriety from Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd, Asia Argento, Rosanna Arquette, former Bond girl Lea Seydoux and other actresses since the New York Times published an exposé on him late last week.
Now, Suicide Squad star Cara Delevingne has shared her own experience of an alleged encounter with Weinstein, which Delevingne says occurred when she was transitioning from modelling into the film industry.
In an emotional Instagram post, she recalled: "When I first started to work as an actress, i was working on a film and I received a call from Harvey Weinstein asking if I had slept with any of the women I was seen out with in the media.
"It was a very odd and uncomfortable call....I answered none of his questions and hurried off the phone but before I hung up, he said to me that If I was gay or decided to be with a woman especially in public that I'd never get the role of a straight woman or make it as an actress in Hollywood."
The actress went on to detail an alleged face-to-face meeting with the producer that allegedly took an even darker turn.
"A year or two later, I went to a meeting with him in the lobby of a hotel with a director about an upcoming film. The director left the meeting and Harvey asked me to stay and chat with him," she remembered. "As soon as we were alone he began to brag about all the actresses he had slept with and how he had made their careers and spoke about other inappropriate things of a sexual nature. He then invited me to his room.".
She continued: "At that moment I felt very powerless and scared but didn't want to act that way hoping that I was wrong about the situation. When I arrived I was relieved to find another woman in his room and thought immediately I was safe.
"He asked us to kiss and she began some sort of advances upon his direction. I swiftly got up and asked him if he knew that I could sing. And I began to sing....i thought it would make the situation better....more professional....like an audition....i was so nervous.
"After singing I said again that I had to leave. He walked me to the door and stood in front of it and tried to kiss me on the lips. I stopped him and managed to get out of the room. I still got the part for the film and always thought that he gave it to me because of what happened.
"Since then I felt awful that I did the movie. I felt like I didn't deserve the part. I was so hesitant about speaking out....I didn't want to hurt his family. I felt guilty as if I did something wrong. I was also terrified that this sort of thing had happened to so many women I know but no one had said anything because of fear."
Delevingne later followed up with a message of support for women who've faced sexual harassment in other industries, since those situations largely don't attract media attention.
"I want women and girls to know that being harassed or abused or raped is NEVER their fault and not talking about it will always cause more damage than speaking the truth," she wrote. "I am relieved to be able to share this....i actually feel better and I'm proud of the women who are brave enough to speak....this isn't easy but there are strength in our numbers.
"As I said, this is only the beginning. In every industry and especially in Hollywood, men abuse their power using fear and get away with it. This must stop. The more we talk about it, the less power we give them. I urge you all to talk and to the people who defend these men, you are part of the problem."
(Harvey Weinstein and estranged wife Georgina Chapman)
Harvey Weinstein's spokesperson has not directly addressed Delevingne's allegations, but blanketly denied "any allegations of non-consensual sex" earlier this week.
Since the Times report was published last week, Weinstein has been sacked from his own production company and separated from his wife, fashion designer Georgina Chapman.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of sexual violence. If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
