Guinness heiress spoke out about predator Harvey Weinstein 7 years ago

Ivana Lowell, the Guinness family heiress, spoke out about Harvey Weinstein's predatory actions in her book, published seven years ago, and claims he threatened to sue her in retaliation.

Lowell, 51, the daughter of Lady Caroline Blackwood and granddaughter of Maureen Guinness, worked for Weinstein at Miramax Books in the 1990s and dated his younger brother, Bob.

In her 2010 book "Why Not Say What Happened," she described Weinstein's sexual harassment – how he would show up at her home unannounced and "spread-eagle" himself on her bed, demanding a massage. She also said that he once chased her around his desk.

Here's Ivana Lowell writing in 2010 about Harvey Weinstein, her boss, sexually harassing her at work & at home. This has been an open secret pic.twitter.com/lS4v66B4PS
— Alexandra Schwartz (@Alex_Lily) October 5, 2017

Lowell wrote:

"The scene was comical: Harvey lying spread-eagle, dwarfing the bed like Gulliver pinned down by midgets, and [a friend] and I laughing nervously, still edging as far away as possible."

'[Weinstein] would call me into his office under some pretext... his office door would be slammed shut and he would playfully chase me around his desk.

'I was always too fast for him, and I don't think he would have done anything even if he had ever caught me, but it made for an interesting work experience.'

Yesterday, in a Facebook post, she recalled how Weinstein was furious with her after it was published.

“When my book was first published, Harvey called me up, screaming, and said that I made him look like a pervert. I replied ‘Yes, so?’ ” she posted on Facebook.

“He threatened to sue me, and then both Harvey and Bob called me a liar.”

Harvey Weinstein. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Lowell also stated that she held back in her account of Weinstein in her book, something she now regrets.

“I left out a lot of sordid details because I still considered Bob a friend and I didn’t realize the extent and consequences of Harvey’s sickening ways," she wrote.

"This whole thing has left me reeling.”

After an explosive New York Times report published last week on Weinstein's long legacy of sexual assault and harassment, more than 30 women, including major celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, and Rose McGowan, have spoken out about their encounters with the mega producer.