Judi Dench has an unpopular opinion about Harvey Weinstein.
The “Notes on a Scandal” actress, 90, defended the disgraced movie producer, 73, following his rape and sexual assault convictions in a new interview with The Radio Times.
“I saw a bit of film of Harvey walking with two sticks and you think, ‘Well…’ ‘I knew Harvey and I knew him well and worked with him, and I had none of that experience – very fortunately for me,” Dench stated.
After acknowledging she has empathy for Weinstein’s victims, Dench said, “I imagine he’s done his time.”
“I don’t know, to me it’s personal – forgiveness,” the Oscar winner added.
The Post has reached out to Dench’s rep for comment.
Weinstein was exiled from Hollywood after he was accused of sexual assault at the start of the #MeToo movement in 2017.
The filmmaker is currently behind bars serving a 16-year prison sentence after his 2022 rape conviction in California.
He was also convicted of sexual assault at his second New York trial in June after an earlier verdict was overturned on appeal. He has yet to be sentenced for the June conviction.
Dench worked with Weinstein on a number of movies, including “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), “Chocolat” (2000), “My Week with Marilyn” (2011), “Filomena” (2013) and “Tulip Fever” (2017).
The “Belfast” actress previously called Weinstein “completely charming” in 2021.
“I worked a lot for Harvey, a huge amount, and he was always completely charming,” she told The Guardian. “Perhaps I was lucky, but that’s all I know. I feel very acutely for the people who weren’t so lucky.”
Dench also said at the time that she didn’t feel like she “misjudged” Weinstein, whom she called a “friend.”
“He was a perfectly polite and funny and friendly person. I never experienced Harvey in any other way than that,” she explained. “I knew nothing untoward about him at all. And nor was I warned. So of course I can judge him. But I never experienced that other side of him at all.”
In 2017, Dench called the initial allegations against Weinstein “horrifying.”
“Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my film career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offences which are, of course, horrifying, and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out,” she said.
Two years later, the “Skyfall” actress publicly spoke out against boycotting Weinstein’s movies.
“Are we just not going to see all those films that Harvey produced?” she said at the time. “You cannot deny somebody a talent.”
During the new Radio Times interview, Dench confirmed that she’s still in touch with Kevin Spacey, who was also accused of sexual assault when the #MeToo movement took shape.
The “House of Cards” actor was charged with nine separate counts, but was deemed innocent in court in July 2023 and acquitted of all nine charges.
“Kevin has been exonerated and I hear from Kevin, we text,” Dench shared.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
