The lawsuit accuses the Oscar-winning producer of defamation, sexual harassment and violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, according to the BBC.
"Weinstein used his power in the entertainment industry to damage Ms Judd's reputation and limit her ability to find work," the lawsuit alleges.
“Ashley is fighting back, but she also wants to point the way for others,” Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., the lead lawyer representing Ms. Judd in the suit, said according to the NY Times. “If this isn’t an example of unfair business practice then I don’t know what is.”
Judd has enlisted the help of director Peter Jackson who revealed in December that he had removed her from a casting list “as a direct result” of what he says was “false information” given to him by Weinstein.
According to the lawsuit, Judd claims she did not know that “something unseen was holding her back from obtaining the work she wanted, and had been doing so for decades.”
Jackson had reportedly hoped to cast Judd in his Lord of the Rings franchise, however the suit claims Weinstein “torpedoed Ms. Judd’s incredible professional opportunity”. The suit claims Weinstein falsely told Jackson Judd was a “nightmare” who should be avoided “at all costs.”
