Fionnula Flanagan describes Weinstein behaviour as 'open secret'

Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan has said Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's behaviour towards young actresses was an "open secret".

Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan has said Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's behaviour towards young actresses was an "open secret".

On Tuesday, Weinstein was accused of rape by three women.

He was dismissed from the Weinstein Company after claims were made by women with whom he had worked.

A statement released on his behalf said: “Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein.”

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One's Liveline, Ms Flanagan described Weinstein as a "creep" and there was a "sick predatory aspect" to his behaviour.

"It was an open secret. He was sort of repulsive in his behaviour towards women and that was well known," she said.

Weinstein was an Executive Producer on Flanagan's Film 'The Others' and his company, Miramax, distributed another one of her films 'TransAmerica'.

She said while he was not on set of TransAmerica, she did have dealings with him.

She said he never made advances towards her and that she believed he focused on younger actresses.

Ms Flanagan praised the women who came forward as "courageous".

"It was not easy to do because he was so powerful," she said.

Ms Flanagan claimed "he was notorious for breaking his word in business dealings".

"He was not to be trusted in any means," she added.

A police audio recording has been released which appears to support claims from a model that Weinstein groped her in an exchange between the pair.

Ms Flanagan called the woman  "extraordinarily brave" for coming forward and said it was "disgraceful" that nothing was done.

"He could make or break a career. That's what people feared. People were nervous about that," Ms Flanagan said.