The actress and #meToo activist Asia Argento has reported in a TV interview to have had sex with the then underage US actor and musician Jimmy Bennett. However, the initiative did not emanate from her, said Argento on Sunday evening in an interview with the Italian channel La 7. Rather, the then 17-year-old Bennett has formally made her about.

For him, she had been a "hunting trophy," said Argento. In the meantime, apart from anger, she feels especially sorry for Bennett. She described him as a "lost soul". So far, Argento has claimed that she has "never had any sexual relationship" with Bennett.

. @ AsiaArgento: "Il selfie è stata fatto da #Bennett con il suo telefono e ho pensato" Ecco sono il suo trofeo ".Who sono sentita usata, ho pensato che l'avrebbe fatta vedere ai suoi amici. Ho visto la foto per la prima volta quando arrivò la lettera di Sattro ". #nonelarena pic.twitter.com/aIsnkAoN51

- Non è l'Arena (@nonelarena) September 30, 2018

In August, Bennett's allegations of allegation against Argento became known: The 22-year-old actor accuses the Italian of sexually abusing him in a hotel in California in 2013. He was 17 at the time and 37 years old. Sexual acts with under-18s are punishable in the US state.

After the incident, Argento had agreed with Bennett extrajudicially on the payment of the equivalent of 330,000 euros, it said in August in a "New York Times" article. Argento confirmed to the newspaper that money was flowing to Bennett. At the same time she denied any "sexual relationship" with the actor. In addition, Argento in turn raised allegations against Bennett: This would have wanted to blackmail them years later by 3.5 million dollars, after he had learned that between her and the celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain started a relationship.

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Photo spread: Argento vs Bennett - the next round

In the Sunday interview, Argento now admitted that in a first reaction to the report, "The New York Times" told something different in order to "spread no slippery details." In fact, she agreed to a meeting with Bennett at the time to help him prepare for an audition. "He really jumped on me then," Argento told the Italian channel. She was frozen. In her own words, she did not realize then that Bennett was only 17 years old.

Bennett had also reiterated his allegations against Argento a week ago at La 7. Asked by the moderator if he would stay with his version, after which Argento sexually abused him, said the now 22-year-old: "Yes, that's right." He later added, "A woman can be beautiful and attractive and still abuse a man." The actress resembles former US film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual violence by several women. "Asia has also abused its power," Bennett told the broadcaster.

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The 43-year-old Argento is one of the most prominent representatives of the #Metoo movement, which works against sexual harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry and beyond. The Italian was one of the first actresses to accuse Weinstein of rape.