Asia Argento Says Her “xXx” Director Rob Cohen Drugged And Sexually Assaulted Her In 2002

Asia Argento was on the vanguard of the first wave of the #MeToo movement when she came forward with some of the first public allegations against Harvey Weinstein who is now, quite possibly, literally rotting away in prison. But things got messy for Asia when she herself became the subject of allegations of a sexual assault against her young (17 to her 37) co-star Jimmy Bennett following the death by suicide of her then-boyfriend Anthony Bourdain and subsequent falling out with former ally Rose McGowan. At that time she said she was launching into “Phase Two of the #MeToo movement” in which “a victim who has some negative history should have the courage to come forward and say ‘me too, I was a victim of sexual assault’ and whatever might color my past does not negate the truth of what happened to me.” As such, Asia has come forward once again with an allegation that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by director Rob Cohen in 2002 while they were filming xXx. I know it’s a little late but trigger warnings aplenty ahead.

According to Deadline, Rob categorically denies these allegations. However, Rob’s daughter Valkyrie Weather, stands with Asia as Valkyrie claims that Asia stood with her last year when she accused her father of childhood sexual abuse.

Actress and director Asia Argento has come forward and accused The Fast and the Furious and xXx director Rob Cohen of sexual assault.

A staunch, outspoken voice who was one of the many that accused Weinstein of harassment, Argento revealed the allegations against Cohen in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera. Argento told the media outlet that it was the first time she has talked about Cohen. She claimed that Cohen abused her and made her drink GHB, an anesthetic associated with date rape.

“At the time, I really didn’t know what it was. I woke up in the morning naked in his bed,” Argento told the Italian newspaper. She added that the alleged attack happened while she was filming the 2002 movie xXx.

Asia includes this accusation against Rob in her soon-to-be-released autobiography Anatomy of a Wild Heart. Asia recently said on an Italian talk-show that “she didn’t come forward with the assault accusations because she wasn’t sure what happened and then said she did not want to ‘create another storm.’” However, since additional accusations against Rob have since come out, Asia felt the time had come.

However, she said that when other women have come forward with allegations against Cohen, she decided to as well. In 2019, an unnamed individual accused the director of sexual assault. According to the Huffington Post report, the alleged attack happened in 2015 in Manhattan. His daughter Valkyrie Weather accused him of molestation when she was a child and as a teen, claiming he took her overseas to visits sex workers. Cohen has since denied these accusations.

You can read Valkyrie’s account of the sexual abuse she says she suffered at Rob’s hands in this thread here. Valkyrie also posted this message of support for Asia on Twitter.

This makes three of us. Asia reached out to me to show support when I came forward about my biological father, Rob Cohen. She went through literal hell after Weinstein and wasn't ready to come forward about Rob. I'm honored to stand with her, and blessed to call her a friend. https://t.co/wMOcwvbdUe

— Valkyrie Weather (@ValkyrieWeather) January 25, 2021

And here’s a statement from Rob about Asia’s accusation (via Deadline).

In regards to the allegations, a spokesperson for Cohen released a statement to Deadline that said: “Mr. Cohen categorically denies Asia Argento’s accusation of assault against him as absolutely false. When they worked together, they had an excellent working relationship and Mr. Cohen considered her a friend, so this claim dating back to 2002 is bewildering, especially given what has been reported about her in recent years.”

That last clause there is as unsurprising as it is irrelevant. But as we know, it’s par for the course. Phase 2 is messy as hell. For Phase 3 I suggest we all proactively just turn ourselves in as a species. We obviously cannot be trusted.

Pic: Instagram