LOS ANGELES _ Two of the loudest voices in the #MeToo movement remain at odds _ and now a threat of legal action looms over one of them.
Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, the actresses who bonded over shared allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein but later fell out over allegations that Argento sexually assaulted a minor, continued to spar Monday morning on Twitter.
In a tweet addressing McGowan, Argento wrote that that she's giving the "Charmed" star 24 hours to retract and apologize for what Argento called "the horrendous lies" McGowan leveled against her in a statement in recent weeks.
"If you fail to address this libel I will have no option other than to take immediate legal action," Argento warned.
The alleged "lies" to which Argento is referring came by way of McGowan's lengthy Aug. 27 statement. In the statement, she alleged that her partner, model Rain Dove, told her that in a series of text messages, Argento admitted to having sex with her costar Jimmy Bennett, 20 years her junior, in 2013, when he was underage
McGowan, whose rep did not immediately respond to The Times' request for comment on Monday, also claimed she was instrumental in encouraging Dove to turn over damning text messages to police and attempted to clarify her role in Argento's life and association with the scandal.
"Asia you were my friend. I loved you. You've spent and risked a lot to stand with the MeToo movement," McGowan said. "I really hope you find your way through this process to rehabilitation and betterment. Anyone can 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."
Argento has denied accusations first detailed in a New York Times report that marred her credibility as a champion of the #MeToo movement.
The Italian actress paid Bennett $380,000 to keep quiet about their encounter and later claimed that Bennett sexually assaulted her. She also said that her ex-boyfriend, the late chef Anthony Bourdain, made the payment to Bennett to avoid bad press.
Bennett will cooperate with a Los Angeles County sheriff's investigation into Argento, his lawyer told The Times earlier this month.
