Beckinsale starred in the romantic comedy “Serendipity” alongside John Cusack, a film distributed by Weinstein’s Miramax. The movie premiered in New York in October 2001, just one month after the tragic 9/11 attacks. According to Beckinsale, the cast believed a red carpet premiere so soon after the devastating event would be inappropriate, but they claimed they were compelled to go through with it.
Although Kate eventually agreed to attend the premiere, she recalled being yelled at by Weinstein over her choice of outfit on the red carpet. She opted to wear a suit, aiming for a more somber tone given the circumstances. However, Weinstein vehemently disagreed and confronted her about it.
“I wore a suit. I just thought, ‘We need to be a bit sober here. This is already so f***ed that we’re doing this,” she revealed in an interview with The Howard Stern Show. “And I got in big trouble for wearing a suit. So I got absolutely reamed for that.”
Describing the events leading up to the incident, she recounted that Weinstein called her and requested a playdate for their children, even though he had never made such a request before. Feeling unable to refuse, Kate agreed and brought her child and a nanny, as Weinstein had also asked. Upon arriving, the nannies and children were quickly taken away so that Weinstein could speak with her privately.
“And then he just went insane: ‘You find stupid c‘. Like every horrible thing you could possibly imagine at top volume. ‘I find paid you… If I say go on a red carpet, you shake your fing ts and a.’
“I was immediately in tears and shaking because I had been brought in under the pretense of a playdate with toddlers, and suddenly I’m being screamed at that I’m a c***. It was a lot.”
Kate previously shared her ordeal in a detailed Instagram post shortly after Weinstein’s sentencing in 2020. In the post, she mentioned trying to reason with Weinstein, telling him that the city was in chaos due to the aftermath of 9/11 and that the premiere was inappropriate. However, he responded callously, asserting his authority over the event.
“That was one of many experiences I had where there was no recourse, and it doesn’t fall under any felony,” Beckinsale expressed. “But I was punished for it. And for other instances where I said no to him for years, insidiously and seemingly irreversibly.”
These revelations highlight the distressing experiences endured by women in the film industry and the challenges they faced in confronting and seeking justice for such abuse.