Eyes wide open, a ‘cool girl’ looks for peace in Harvey Weinstein’s aftermath

Writer Angela Meng’s traumatic encounter with the Hollywood producer left her lurching through suspicion, anger and moral outrage

In the years since, she has tried to find the words to make sense of that moment in a Hong Kong hotel room when her body became suspended in time

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Angela Meng is no longer afraid to speak publicly about her encounter with Harvey Weinstein. Photo: Handout

Published: 6:30am, 27 Sep 2020Updated: 11:22am, 27 Sep 2020

I met Harvey Weinstein in 2014. I was reporting on politics for the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong when a friend of a friend asked me to translate during his dinner meeting. At the restaurant, Harvey introduced himself with brio. He was charming and tenacious and said he was in town working on several important projects. He wanted to talk to the press. We agreed to an interview and his assistant took my information.

A few days later, at the Mandarin Oriental, his assistant arrived 30 minutes late and informed me that Harvey was not feeling very well but also very busy and could I come upstairs to interview him? She led me to the suite, where Harvey talked animatedly about his new Netflix drama, Marco Polo. He handed me a portable DVD player and headphones and I put them on to watch the preview.

When I looked up, his assistant had gone. Harvey was also gone, re-emerging from the bedroom in a bathrobe. “You seem like a cool girl, not one of those bimbos walking around here,” he began.

Recording artist Taylor Swift, musician Este Haim, actress Jaime King, producer Harvey Weinstein and recording artist Lorde attend a party after the Golden Globes in 2015. Photo: Getty Images

The rest of the story sounds redundant now.

I reached for the perfunctory “thank you but I have a boyfriend”. He took my hand and simulated oral sex, showcasing his prowess at the craft with his eyes closed, tongue circling my palm. When I jerked my hand away, he asked if I’d rather do that to him. No? What about taking a shower together? I got up to go and he blocked the door.

Eyes wide open, a ‘cool girl’ looks for peace in Harvey Weinstein’s aftermath

Writer Angela Meng’s traumatic encounter with the Hollywood producer left her lurching through suspicion, anger and moral outrage In the years since, she has tried to find the words to make sense of that moment in a Hong Kong hotel room when her body became suspended in time

Writer Angela Meng’s traumatic encounter with the Hollywood producer left her lurching through suspicion, anger and moral outrage

In the years since, she has tried to find the words to make sense of that moment in a Hong Kong hotel room when her body became suspended in time