Filmmaker Rob Cohen has denied an allegation of sexual assault by the actor Asia Argento.
Argento, who was one of the many women to come forward with rape allegations against convicted rapist and former film mogul Harvey Weinstein, alleged to an Italian newspaper that she had been “abused” by Cohen while making their 2002 film xXx.
“He abused me, making me drink GHB, he had a bottle of it,” Argento told Il Corriere della Sera. “At the time, I really didn’t know what it was. I woke up in the morning naked in his bed.”
Argento also repeats the allegation in her new memoir, Anatomy of a Wild Heart.
Cohen has since “categorically” denied the allegation, adding that he had been “bewildered” by the claim.
“Mr Cohen categorically denies Asia Argento’s accusation of assault against him as absolutely false,” his representative said in a statement.
“When they worked together, they had an excellent working relationship and Mr Cohen considered her a friend, so this claim dating back to 2002 is bewildering, especially given what has been reported about her in recent years.”
Argento told an Italian talk show on Saturday (23 January) that she had not come forward with the allegations against Cohen earlier as she “did not want to create another storm”.
Argento starred alongside Vin Diesel in xXx, which kick-started a franchise of action thrillers.
Cohen’s other credits include the original The Fast and the Furious, the Sylvester Stallone thriller Daylight, and the Jennifer Lopez film The Boy Next Door.
