Actress Asia Argento accused filmmaker Rob Cohen of drugging and sexually assaulting her during the filming of the action film ‘xXx’, almost two decades ago.
Argento, one of the first accusers of the disgraced cinema mogul Harvey Weinstein, made the accusations in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera and other Italian media over the weekend.
“It’s the first time that I’m talking about Cohen,” she said, according to Variety. “He abused me, making me drink GHB – he had a bottle,” she said, referring to the anesthetic drug often used in date rape.
‘At the time, I really didn’t know what it was. I woke up naked in the morning in his bed. ‘
Argento claimed that the attack occurred while she was filming ‘xXx’, directed by Cohen in 2002, which also stars Vin Diesel and Samuel L. Jackson.
In a text message statement to Variety, Argento confirmed the details of his claim, adding that she discusses it in her next autobiography, Anatomy of a Wild Heart, which will be released in Italy later this month.
Actress Asia Argento accused filmmaker Rob Cohen of drugging and sexually abusing her almost two decades ago
Argento claimed that the attack occurred while she was filming ‘xXx’ directed by Cohen in 2002 (pictured together for a photo for xXx in 2002 above)
During his conversation with the Italian media, Argento stated that he was initially unsure of what had happened to her when she was allegedly drugged and raped by Cohen.
‘I found out later, talking to a friend who opened my eyes about that substance [GHB],’ she said.
Argento said he refrained from talking about the alleged aggression at the time and in the years that followed because he “didn’t want to create another storm”.
However, ‘since two women spoke out against [Cohen], including his daughter ‘, she said she was encouraged to perform.
Responding to Argento’s claims, a Cohen spokesman, 71, vehemently denied that there was any truth to them.
‘Sir. Cohen categorically denies Asia Argento’s completely false sexual assault charge against him.
The spokesman added that Cohen and Argenton ‘had an excellent working relationship’ during the time they worked together, and that ‘Cohen considered her a friend’.
“So this accusation, which dates back to 2002, is intriguing, especially considering what has been said about it in recent years.”
“He abused me, making me drink GHB – he had a bottle,” she said, referring to the anesthetic drug often used in date rape. ‘At the time, I really didn’t know what it was. I woke up naked in the morning in his bed ‘
Vin Diesel, Asia Argento, director Rob Cohen and Samuel L. Jackson at the premiere of “XXX” at the Village Theater in Westwood, CA
The spokesman’s comments seemed to allude to allegations that emerged in August 2018, according to which Argento was accused of sexually assaulting fellow actor Jimmy Bennett.
Bennett said the incident happened in May 2013, when he was 17, in a hotel in California.
Although she initially denied the claim and claimed that she had no sexual interaction with Bennett, within weeks she withdrew the allegations and admitted that they had sex, but says she did not know how old he was at the time.
Bennett contested the version of Argento’s events, and she later paid him $ 380,000 in ‘secret’ money.
Argento was on the frontline of #MeToo after claiming that she had been sexually abused by tycoon Harvey Weinstein.
She was one of the first to publicize her story, telling The New York Times that she was allegedly assaulted by Weinstein at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.
Cohen, too, has previously been accused of sexual assault on at least two occasions.
Jimmy Bennett (left) claimed that Asia Argento (right) slept with him in a hotel room in California when he was 17 in May 2013
Premiere party: Argento and his alleged rapist Weinstein at the 2004 premiere of The Heart is Deceitful in Cannes (above)
In 2019, Cohen was accused of allegedly sexually assaulting a victim – identified only as ‘Jane’ – while she was unconscious.
The reported attack was said to have occurred in 2016 after Cohen invited the woman to a business meeting in Manhattan to discuss collaboration on a potential TV pilot.
According to Jane, Cohen chose a cigar room for the meeting place and ordered a drink for her, although she did not ask for one. They then continued the meeting at a restaurant near the hotel where he was staying.
At the restaurant, Jane said, Cohen asked for a bottle of wine and encouraged her to drink more.
During the meeting, Jane said that Cohen had flirted with her and told details about her sex life, although she had not asked about it. She said she ignored Cohen’s comments because she needed the pilot’s money and was excited about the career opportunity.
Among the other things she remembered, the night was starting to get ‘confusing’, being alone with Cohen at the restaurant because the other customers were gone, Cohen leaning down to kiss her on the cheek and going to another bar with him .
She said her next memory was to regain consciousness in a bed in Cohen’s hotel room. She said she was naked and that Cohen’s face was in her groin and that he had inserted his fingers inside her – none of his acts being activities that she consented to.
She said she jumped out of bed, went to the bathroom and threw up.
When he staggered back to the bed, he said that Cohen tried to have sex with her, but stopped when she told him to stop.
In 2019, Cohen faced similar charges from his daughter Valkyrie Weather, who accused him of molesting her when she was just two years old.
Despite being a social drinker during this period of her life, Jane said she did not remember drinking enough alcohol to pass out or lose consciousness and that the incident “did not seem to be very drunk”.
When contacted about the allegations, Cohen’s lawyer issued a 13-page denial, calling the allegations “outrageous” and “extraordinarily offensive”.
First reported by the Huffington Post, two of Jane’s friends confirmed in half that she had told them about the alleged attack immediately after it happened.
Jane also shared medical records to show that she had sought clinical treatment as a victim of sexual assault weeks after meeting Cohen.
In early 2019, Cohen faced similar charges from his daughter Valkyrie Weather, who accused him of molesting her when she was just two years old.
Weather, Cohen’s oldest son who is transgender, said: ‘When I was very young, Rob used my body for his own sexual satisfaction.
“My mother witnessed one of the attacks when I was between two and two and a half years old and has since confirmed what she saw. That fact cost me more than I could transmit here, ‘she said.
Weather went on to accuse his father of raping “at least one other woman in his sleep” and said he had told her the story as “an anecdote”.
Cohen on set with Vin Diesel while filming xXx in 2002 in the image above
Weather also said her father would take her in her early teens, before her transition, to see sex workers in Thailand and the Czech Republic.
Responding to Argento’s claims, a Cohen spokesman, 71, vehemently denied that there was any truth to them. ‘Sir. Cohen categorically denies Asia Argento’s completely false sexual assault charge against him ‘
She said she was inspired to speak ‘thanks to the’ #metoo movement ‘and because of the therapy and support from her loved ones.
‘Although Rob will most likely escape criminal justice, I demand that my story be heard. I am not seeking financial restitution, nor do I have a career to promote. My greatest hope is that other people who have been hurt by Rob Cohen will feel that they can also perform. ‘
In a statement, Cohen, the father of four, once again denied the charges against him, calling his daughter’s allegations categorically false, ‘painful’ and that his’ beloved son accused me of the most horrible thing imaginable ‘.
‘When Valkyrie’s mother (Kyle at the time) and I were getting divorced, she accused me during the custody process of many things, including a similar charge. After a long trial, the court-appointed psychiatrist granted me full custody despite these false charges, ‘said Cohen.
“Afterwards, my ex-wife appealed and, after another long trial, I was again granted full custody. At that point, Kyle was about 14 years old, and when asked about his preference for which father to live with, he chose me, ‘the statement said.
‘Recently, my son chose to live his life with authenticity and make the transition to the woman he is today. When she wrote to me about it, I told her that she has my continued love and support, as well as how beautiful and brave I think she is, ‘Cohen continued.
He also denied his daughter’s allegations that he had raped another woman.
‘I may not have been a perfect husband. I am, as we all are, a person and a father who made mistakes along the way, but would never, ever, harm any of my children, or even any child, ‘Cohen, who has been married to several times, added.
Cohen, 71, has directed several films, including the Fast and Furious series, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Running Man and Bird on a Wire.