New York • The Italian actress and filmmaker Asia Argento says she never had a sexual relationship with the young actor whom she paid $380,000 after he accused her of sexual assault.
In a statement Tuesday, Argento said reports were “absolutely false” and that she was linked “in friendship only” to Jimmy Bennett, a now 22-year-old Los Angeles actor who filed a legal notice of intent to sue Argento. As detailed in a New York Times story published Sunday, Bennett claimed Argento sexually assaulted him when he was 17.
Argento said the $380,000 payment was made by her late boyfriend Anthony Bourdain, the television star chef.