Robert Rodriguez Says Casting Rose McGowan in ‘Grindhouse’ Was an F-U to Harvey Weinstein (EXCLUSIVE)

Robert Rodriguez says he knew about Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual assault of Rose McGowan and accuses the mogul of burying the release of “Grindhouse” out of spite. Rodriguez and McGowan were in a relationship from 2006 to 2009, and the director tells Variety in a statement that he was inspired to cast McGowan as a “bad ass” character in the film as a way of getting back at her alleged assailant.

McGowan has accused Weinstein of raping her in 1997 while she was appearing in “Scream,” a horror hit that was released by Miramax, his former company. Dozens of women have accused Weinstein of assault and harassment. His accusers include Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Mira Sorvino, and Cara Delevingne.

Rodriguez worked with Miramax, and later the Weinstein Co. for years, primarily releasing films through Dimension, a genre label run by Harvey’s brother Bob. Films he made for the companies include “From Dusk Til Dawn,” “Spy Kids,” and “The Faculty.” The relationship continued even after “Grindhouse” was released to tepid box office results, with Dimension distributing Rodriguez-directed sequels to “Spy Kids,” “Machete,” and “Sin City.”

Here is Rodriguez’s account of what McGowan told him about Weinstein, the production of “Grindhouse,” and what he hopes the entertainment industry will do to reform itself in the wake of an ongoing harassment and abuse scandal. Here is his statement printed in full. A spokesperson for Harvey Weinstein had no immediate comment. A rep for McGowan declined comment.

As one of the first victims to come forward with stories of sexual assault by Harvey Weinstein, Rose McGowan is a very brave woman who I applaud for speaking out about Weinstein’s repulsive behavior.