Colin Firth has said he feels "shame' for not doing more after a co-star told him about a "distressing encounter" she allegedly had with Harvey Weinstein.
The British actor spoke out after Sophie Dix, who starred with him in The Advocate, went public with allegations of a sexual assault in a hotel room when she was 22.
Dix claimed that Weinstein invited her to a private room at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1990, where she was forcibly shoved onto a bed while Weinstein "tugged at her clothes".
She told the Guardian that she managed to run to the bathroom and, after spending some time in there hiding, decided to try and escape the room. She claims she opened the door and found Weinstein facing her, "standing there masturbating".
Dix says the incident left her traumatised. "I decided if this is what being an actress is like, I don't want it."
Firth, who starred in the Miramax-backed film The King's Speech, has now commented and said that he remembers Dix being "profoundly upset".
"To my shame, I merely expressed sympathy," he said. "I didn't act on what she told me. It was a long time ago and I don't know if she remembers telling me, but the fact that I had that conversation has come back to haunt me in the light of these revelations.
"It's the only direct account of this kind of behaviour by Harvey Weinstein that's ever been told to me."
More and more women in Hollywood have come forward with accusations against the film mogul, including high profile actresses such as Kate Beckinsale, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cara Delevingne, and Mira Sorvino.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Weinstein's spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister said: "Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein. Mr Weinstein has furth confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances.
"He will not be available for further comments, as he is taking the time to focus on his family, on getting counselling and rebuilding his life."
