Sex and the City and And Just Like That... star Chris Noth's abusive reputation continues to grow, this time with a new accusation of sexual assault by singer Lisa Gentile and accounts of on-set toxicity by Kristin Davis stand-in Heather Kristin, who worked on four seasons of the original series.
In a press conference hosted by Gloria Allred today, Gentile came forward, alleging that the actor violently laid hands on her at her New York City apartment in early 2002 [via Deadline]. The singer says Noth had been a casual acquaintance of a few years, who offered her a ride home one night from the restaurant they both frequented.
The following article contains potentially triggering material relating to sexual assault and violence. If you believe you have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct and are looking for support, consult the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime to find resources in your area.
Gentile alleges the actor forcibly pulled her against him, kissing her and "slobbering all over." She claims that he groped her forcefully: "I kept pushing his hands down, while he was pushing his hands up," Gentile recalled. She yelled, "No, I don't want this!" and Noth reportedly became angry, calling her a "bitch" and a "tease" before storming out of the singer's apartment.
Kristin published an essay in The Independent back in February — months prior to the multiple accusations of sexual assault lobbed at the actor this past month, following the SATC reboot's premiere. In it, she'd written about an "alpha male actor" who made an offensive comment about a fellow stand-in.
Today, the publication put out an updated version of the piece entitled "Chris Noth's behaviour on set for 'Sex and the City' was disgusting. I know — I was there," effectively naming said actor as Noth: "I remember his toxic behaviour all too vividly," Kristin wrote.
She begins the new version of the essay by saying she felt relieved when Noth's Mr. Big character was killed off in the first episode of the reboot via Peloton accident, adding that she's sure the women that have come forward with accusations of sexual assault against him felt the same way.
"The first time the 'alpha male' actor slid his hand down my back and over my butt, I flinched," Kristin recalled. "I was in my mid-20s and had worked as an extra on movie sets for over a decade; I had never been manhandled. 'That's your spot, sweetie,' Noth said, inching even closer."
After this particular interaction, she did her best to avoid him on set.
"My gut said to quit that first day," Kristin wrote. "Instead, I stayed too long, like staying in a bad relationship for far too many years, hoping I'd persevere and land my big break."
It was approximately a year afterward that she alleges the actor pointing to Cynthia Nixon's stand-in and saying, "I want that one tied up, gagged and brought to my trailer."
Kristin continued:
When he got near me, I balled up my fists, squared my shoulders and said, "This is my and her space." He backed up, dramatically putting his hands up in the air and said, "Whoa there, little lady!" He didn't even know my name. I clenched my jaw and didn't respond. The crew laughed. But I had had enough; I finally stood up for myself and for the other stand-in.
Furthermore, she claimed that, since publishing the original version of her essay, her attempts to contact the And Just Like That... casting director about returning as a stand-in for the reboot were met with silence.
"I found myself wondering whether I was being blacklisted for speaking out," Kristin admitted.
Davis, Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker issued a joint statement earlier this week, saying they were "deeply saddened" by the accusations made against Noth, which the actor has unequivocally denied.
"We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences," the SATC stars wrote on social media. "We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it."
Actor and writer Zoe Lister-Jones recently called Noth a "sexual predator" in an Instagram post, while a third accuser came forward to The Daily Beast with allegations against the actor last week. He's since been dropped from CBS show The Equalizer.
Read Gentile's full statement below.
I first met Chris Noth when I began frequenting DaMarino Restaurant in New York City in 1998. He was a regular there and good friends with the owner Pasquale Marino.
I would often see Chris dining and hanging out when I would visit DaMarino with friends and family.
Eventually Chris and I started conversing and we became acquaintances. We'd chat mostly about music and show business and the neighbourhood.
Then on a Saturday night in early 2002 we were all hanging out at DaMarino. Around midnight I was getting ready to leave. Chris offered me a ride home and I said okay. When we arrived at my apartment, he asked me if he could come up. I told him I had nothing to offer him to drink and he said that's okay, and that he just wanted to see where I lived. He came upstairs. We entered and I went to the kitchen. He wanted to see the rest of the apartment, but I didn't show him because my roommate was sleeping. He used the restroom. I found some old, boxed wine. and poured him a glass.
He started kissing me almost right away. Then he leaned against the kitchen countertop and forcibly pulled me against him; he was slobbering all over me. I quickly became uncomfortable. Then he became more aggressive and put both hands on my breasts and began squeezing them very hard over my shirt. He quickly went under my shirt and began squeezing them even harder over my bra with his fingers grabbing the exposed skin not covered by my bra. Then he tried to push my bra up with both of his hands. I grabbed his hands with my hands and tried to stop him. I kept pushing his hands down while he was pushing mine up. I was trying to get him to stop. He then forced my hands to pull up his shirt exposing his belly and then even harder pushed my hands down towards his penis. I finally managed to push him away and get out of his grasp and yelled, "No, I don't want this!" He became extremely angry and started screaming calling me a "tease" and a "bitch." He stormed out of my apartment.
After he left, I woke my roommate and best friend and told her what happened. She clearly remembers this.
The next morning Chris Noth called me and my roommates' landline that was not in my name. He warned me that if I ever told a soul about what happened, he would ruin my career and I would never sing again and that he would blacklist me in the business.
He hung up on me. I immediately called my mother and father crying.
I was afraid to come forward because of Mr. Noth's power and his threats to ruin my career. I am speaking out now in support of the other four women who have courageously come forward before me. I feel that we should have our day in Court to seek to hold Mr. Noth accountable for what he did.
I am also speaking out to insure the rights of of my nieces, goddaughter and future victims of sexual harassment and assault.
In a press conference hosted by Gloria Allred today, Gentile came forward, alleging that the actor violently laid hands on her at her New York City apartment in early 2002 [via Deadline]. The singer says Noth had been a casual acquaintance of a few years, who offered her a ride home one night from the restaurant they both frequented.
The following article contains potentially triggering material relating to sexual assault and violence. If you believe you have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct and are looking for support, consult the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime to find resources in your area.
Gentile alleges the actor forcibly pulled her against him, kissing her and "slobbering all over." She claims that he groped her forcefully: "I kept pushing his hands down, while he was pushing his hands up," Gentile recalled. She yelled, "No, I don't want this!" and Noth reportedly became angry, calling her a "bitch" and a "tease" before storming out of the singer's apartment.
Kristin published an essay in The Independent back in February — months prior to the multiple accusations of sexual assault lobbed at the actor this past month, following the SATC reboot's premiere. In it, she'd written about an "alpha male actor" who made an offensive comment about a fellow stand-in.
Today, the publication put out an updated version of the piece entitled "Chris Noth's behaviour on set for 'Sex and the City' was disgusting. I know — I was there," effectively naming said actor as Noth: "I remember his toxic behaviour all too vividly," Kristin wrote.
She begins the new version of the essay by saying she felt relieved when Noth's Mr. Big character was killed off in the first episode of the reboot via Peloton accident, adding that she's sure the women that have come forward with accusations of sexual assault against him felt the same way.
"The first time the 'alpha male' actor slid his hand down my back and over my butt, I flinched," Kristin recalled. "I was in my mid-20s and had worked as an extra on movie sets for over a decade; I had never been manhandled. 'That's your spot, sweetie,' Noth said, inching even closer."
After this particular interaction, she did her best to avoid him on set.
"My gut said to quit that first day," Kristin wrote. "Instead, I stayed too long, like staying in a bad relationship for far too many years, hoping I'd persevere and land my big break."
It was approximately a year afterward that she alleges the actor pointing to Cynthia Nixon's stand-in and saying, "I want that one tied up, gagged and brought to my trailer."
Kristin continued:
When he got near me, I balled up my fists, squared my shoulders and said, "This is my and her space." He backed up, dramatically putting his hands up in the air and said, "Whoa there, little lady!" He didn't even know my name. I clenched my jaw and didn't respond. The crew laughed. But I had had enough; I finally stood up for myself and for the other stand-in.
Furthermore, she claimed that, since publishing the original version of her essay, her attempts to contact the And Just Like That... casting director about returning as a stand-in for the reboot were met with silence.
"I found myself wondering whether I was being blacklisted for speaking out," Kristin admitted.
Davis, Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker issued a joint statement earlier this week, saying they were "deeply saddened" by the accusations made against Noth, which the actor has unequivocally denied.
"We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences," the SATC stars wrote on social media. "We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it."
Actor and writer Zoe Lister-Jones recently called Noth a "sexual predator" in an Instagram post, while a third accuser came forward to The Daily Beast with allegations against the actor last week. He's since been dropped from CBS show The Equalizer.
Read Gentile's full statement below.
I first met Chris Noth when I began frequenting DaMarino Restaurant in New York City in 1998. He was a regular there and good friends with the owner Pasquale Marino.
I would often see Chris dining and hanging out when I would visit DaMarino with friends and family.
Eventually Chris and I started conversing and we became acquaintances. We'd chat mostly about music and show business and the neighbourhood.
Then on a Saturday night in early 2002 we were all hanging out at DaMarino. Around midnight I was getting ready to leave. Chris offered me a ride home and I said okay. When we arrived at my apartment, he asked me if he could come up. I told him I had nothing to offer him to drink and he said that's okay, and that he just wanted to see where I lived. He came upstairs. We entered and I went to the kitchen. He wanted to see the rest of the apartment, but I didn't show him because my roommate was sleeping. He used the restroom. I found some old, boxed wine. and poured him a glass.
He started kissing me almost right away. Then he leaned against the kitchen countertop and forcibly pulled me against him; he was slobbering all over me. I quickly became uncomfortable. Then he became more aggressive and put both hands on my breasts and began squeezing them very hard over my shirt. He quickly went under my shirt and began squeezing them even harder over my bra with his fingers grabbing the exposed skin not covered by my bra. Then he tried to push my bra up with both of his hands. I grabbed his hands with my hands and tried to stop him. I kept pushing his hands down while he was pushing mine up. I was trying to get him to stop. He then forced my hands to pull up his shirt exposing his belly and then even harder pushed my hands down towards his penis. I finally managed to push him away and get out of his grasp and yelled, "No, I don't want this!" He became extremely angry and started screaming calling me a "tease" and a "bitch." He stormed out of my apartment.
After he left, I woke my roommate and best friend and told her what happened. She clearly remembers this.
The next morning Chris Noth called me and my roommates' landline that was not in my name. He warned me that if I ever told a soul about what happened, he would ruin my career and I would never sing again and that he would blacklist me in the business.
He hung up on me. I immediately called my mother and father crying.
I was afraid to come forward because of Mr. Noth's power and his threats to ruin my career. I am speaking out now in support of the other four women who have courageously come forward before me. I feel that we should have our day in Court to seek to hold Mr. Noth accountable for what he did.
I am also speaking out to insure the rights of of my nieces, goddaughter and future victims of sexual harassment and assault.
