Gwyneth Paltrow played a ‘crucial’ part in bringing down Harvey Weinstein

A book penned by journalists who exposed Harvey Weinstein details Gwyneth Paltrow’s massive involvement in taking down the movie mogul.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Harvey Weinstein at the 50th Anniversary Gala of the National Film Theatre. Picture: Getty Images

Gwyneth Paltrow was “crucial” in bringing down Harvey Weinstein, a new book claims.

The Oscar-winning actress, 46, who was one of the movie mogul’s biggest stars, turned against him and worked with reporters looking into his history of alleged sex abuse, The Sun reports.

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She played a “much more active role than anybody’s ever known”, according to New York Times journalist Jodi Kantor — who wrote a book on the #MeToo movement.

But it was “hair-raising” for Paltrow because Weinstein turned up to a party in her home and she had to hide in the bathroom.

The details are revealed in She Said, which details Weinstein’s downfall since October 2017 after articles in the New York Times and the New Yorker magazine exposed him.

The book details how Paltrow once hid from Weinstein when he turned up to a party at her house. Picture: Getty.

More than 80 women have come forward to accuse Weinstein, who is due to go on trial in January accused of a string of sexual assaults and “predatory” sexual behaviour.

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But in the beginning, it was extremely difficult to persuade anyone to open up, said Kantor and Meghan Twohey, another New York Times journalist who co-wrote the book.

Paltrow became a vital early source even though she refused to go on the record until later.

Kantor said: “She did play a much more active role than anybody’s ever known. But it was hair-raising for her because Harvey Weinstein had been such an important influence.”

Paltrow’s encounter with Weinstein happened when she was 22. She had just been hired by him for the lead role in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma that would make her a star.

The actress said Weinstein put his hands on her and suggested they give each other massages in his suite at the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel.

She was convinced Weinstein was going to fire her but she went on to work with him on Shakespeare in Love for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Weinstein with Gwyneth Paltrow at the Oscars in 1995. Picture: Getty.

Speaking to NBC’s Today show Twohey said: “Gwyneth Paltrow was one of Harvey’s biggest stars, he’d presented himself as a godfather to her.

“So many people will be surprised to discover that when so many other actresses were … scared to tell the truth about what they’d experienced at his hands.

“Gwyneth was one of the first people to get on the phone, and she was determined to help this investigation.”

She even described Paltrow hiding in a bathroom when Weinstein called round unexpectedly.

Twohey added: “Harvey Weinstein was extremely aware and extremely scarred about what the implications would be if his biggest star went on the record.”

Others who were interviewed for the book include actress Ashley Judd.

The book, which is out today, has been likened to All the President’s Men, the expose of the Richard Nixon administration, only for the #MeToo era.

Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex and his lawyers said in a statement the book was “one-sided allegations”.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission