Rebecca Cook/Reuters
Rose McGowan claims fellow #MeToo advocate Asia Argento admitted to sleeping with her former co-star Jimmy Bennett. In a statement released Monday afternoon, McGowan said her partner—Rain Dove—was texting with Argento when the Italian actress “revealed that she had indeed slept with Jimmy Bennett.” Argento also allegedly told Dove that Bennett had been sending her “unsolicited nudes” since he was 12 years old. “Asia mentioned in these texts that she didn’t take any action on those images,” McGowan said. “No reporting to authorities, to the parents, or blocking of Jimmy’s social media.” According to McGowan, Dove turned the text messages over to police and “almost 48 hours later the texts were in the press.”
McGowan said she’s been “humbled” by the situation. “Asia, you were my friend. I loved you. You’ve spent and risked a lot to stand with the MeToo movement. I really hope you find your way through this process to rehabilitation and betterment,” she wrote. “Anyone can be be better—I hope you can be, too. Do the right thing. Be honest. Be fair. Let justice stay its course. Be the person you wish Harvey could have been.” This comes after Argento denied having had a sexual relationship with Bennett—who says he was 17 when they had sex in a California hotel room. Argento has claimed that it was Bourdain’s idea to pay Bennett $380,000 after he accused her of sexual assault.