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Jeremy Piven is the latest Hollywood figure to be accused of sexual harassment.
In a series of tweets Tuesday, actress Ariane Bellamar alleged that the actor groped her on the set of Entourage.
Piven is currently starring on the CBS drama Wisdom of the Crowd. The network said Tuesday in a statement, “We are aware of the media reports and are looking into the matter.”
HBO also issued a statement Tuesday: “Today, via the press reports, is the first we are hearing about Ariane Bellamar’s allegations concerning Jeremy Piven. Everyone at HBO and our productions is aware that zero tolerance for sexual harassment is our policy. Anyone experiencing an unsafe working environment has several avenues for making complaints that we take very seriously.”
Bellamar made the allegations in a series of tweets.
Hey @jeremypiven! ‘Member when you cornered me in your trailer on the #Entourage set? ‘Member grabbing my boobies on the without asking??
— Ariane Bellamar (@ArianeBellamar) October 30, 2017
‘Member when I tried to leave; you grabbed me by the ass, looked at yourself in the mirror, & said what a ‘beautiful couple’ we made? #MeToo https://t.co/liD7irs0o0
— Ariane Bellamar (@ArianeBellamar) October 30, 2017
Jeremy Piven, on two occasions, cornered me & forcefully fondled my breasts & bum. Once at the mansion & once on set. #MeToo @AriMelber @CNN https://t.co/liD7irs0o0
— Ariane Bellamar (@ArianeBellamar) October 30, 2017
It’s unclear whether the incident(s) occurred on the set of the Entourage TV show or the subsequent movie released in 2015. The TV series ran for eight seasons from 2004-2011. Bellamar’s credits do not include an appearance on Entourage, but list her work on series including Beverly Hills Nannies and Millionaire Matchmaker, as well as movies like Suicide Squad and the third Hangover film.
In a statement sent to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday evening, Piven denied the “appalling allegations.”
“I unequivocally deny the appalling allegations being peddled about me. It did not happen,” the actor said in the statement. “It takes a great deal of courage for victims to come forward with their histories, and my hope is that the allegations about me that didn’t happen, do not detract from stories that should be heard.”
Wisdom of the Crowd launched earlier this month and is five episodes into its run. CBS TV Studios also co-produces the crowd-sourcing drama with Universal TV. Prior to Wisdom of the Crowd, Piven spent four years headlining the ITV/Masterpiece co-production Mr. Selfridge, which aired Stateside on PBS.
The accusations made against Piven come after similar allegations have been made in recent weeks against Hollywood figures like film mogul Harvey Weinstein, director James Toback and most recently actor Kevin Spacey. Netflix suspended production indefinitely on the sixth and final season of Spacey’s political drama House of Cards on Tuesday after Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp alleged Sunday that Spacey made sexual advances towards him in 1986 when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. Spacey offered his “sincerest apology” to Rapp via a statement Sunday on Twitter. The following day, Netflix and House of Cards producer Media Rights Capital also weighed in, saying they were “deeply troubled” by the accusation made against Spacey.
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Oct. 31, 4:10 p.m. Updated with statement from HBO.
Oct. 31, 5:50 p.m. Updated with Piven’s statement.
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