Actress Monica Potter lost role after rejecting Harvey Weinstein - NEWS.com.au

Actress Monica Potter has revealed she was bypassed for the lead role in an Oscar-winning film after she aggressively rebuffed Harvey Weinstein’s sexual advances.

The Parenthood star claimed in a new interview she missed out on the part of Candy Kendall in 1999 film The Cider House Rules because she “belted” former film producer Weinstein for attempting to have sex with her on three occasions when they met to discuss the role, which ended up being played by Charlize Theron.

“I didn’t do something, so therefore I missed out on it,” the 47-year-old said during an interview on US television station WKYC.

“I’m not saying the person who got it did, I’m just saying I didn’t,” Potter was careful to underscore.

“He tried three times with me,’ Potter recalled. “Twice was in New York and once was in London.”

The Along Came A Spider actress revealed she “belted” Weinstein “where it hurt” on one of his attempts to have sex with her.

“I belted him. I flat out belted him … I really hit him where it hurt,” she said.

“So yeah, I missed out on that role because of that hairy pig.”

The star added she was “grateful for all the women that stood up” and went public with accusations against Weinstein — the tally now stands at more than 80 women.

Disgraced producer Weinstein denied Potter’s allegation through a representative, who sent a statement to WKYC.

The statement said Weinstein sees Potter as a “talented actor for whom he has great respect.”

“The final cast decisions on Cider House was the creative team’s alone. Close to 100 people auditioned and it came down to two people, which is a pretty good position to be in,” the statement continued.

“There has never been anything other than respect and professionalism between Weinstein’s company and Ms. Potter, stemming from The Very Thought of You in 1998, and they have only had a friendly and cordial relationship over the years, and any suggestion or allegation otherwise is simply false.”

The Cider House Rules was nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture and won two Academy Awards.

Weinstein’s New York sexual assault trial is scheduled to begin in May. The 66-year-old faces five counts for allegedly nonconsensual encounters with two women.

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