Harvey Weinstein desperately tried meeting Aishwarya alone, says former international manager

Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s former international manager Simone Sheffield has made a sensational claim of how Hollywood film executive Weinstein tried hard to spend time alone with her. But Sheffield brushed aside his demands and protected her client.

Film lovers across the world were in for a shock when multiple allegations of sexual harassment and rape against the Hollywood film executive Weinstein came to the forefront. Slowly, as many as 32 women have levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against him. This includes the likes of Angelina Jolie, Kate Beckinsale and Rose McGowan.

While speaking to the entertainment portal Variety, Sheffield said, “I used to manage Indian actress Aishwarya Rai. While dealing with Harvey I found it comical how hard he tried to get Aishwarya alone. But he was a pig… looked and acted like a 'big bully pig'. He asked me to leave the meeting numerous times and I politely declined.”

She added how she brushed aside Weinstein’s demands. “When we were leaving his office he cornered me and said ‘what do I have to do to get her alone?’ I told him to ‘kiss my black ass’. When Ash and I returned to our hotel, I sent Harvey a steel pig trough filled with DIET COKE as a thank you gift for the meeting.”

Sheffield also added how she protected Aishwarya despite threats from Weinstein. “Yes, we did do business and yes, he eventually threatened me. Told me I’d never work in this business, blah blah blah. What I said to him I can’t print. But you can be sure, I never gave him the opportunity to even breathe on my client,” he said.

Sheffield feels that such incidents may continue until women are empowered. “Such abuses have gone on way before these creeps and will sadly continue until women feel empowered and protected enough to speak out,” added Aishwarya’s former international manager.