From having her say on sexual abuse allegations made against Dustin Hoffman to responding to Rose McGowan’s tweet accusing her of “hypocrisy”, Meryl Streep has continuously spoken out in defence of ongoing sexual abuse allegations in the film industry.

Now, The Post actress has released a statement in response to producer Harvey Weinstein using her name as a defence in his own ongoing legal battles.

“Harvey Weinstein’s attorneys’ use of my (true) statement — that he was not sexually transgressive or physically abusive in our business relationship — as evidence that he was not abusive with many OTHER women is pathetic and exploitive,” Streep told Deadline.

“The criminal actions he is accused of conducting on the bodies of these women are his responsibility, and if there is any justice left in the system he will pay for them — regardless of how many good movies, made by many good people, Harvey was lucky enough to have acquired or financed.”

Weinstein’s lawyers issued a 26-page memorandum of law with a motion of dismissal in New York, citing previous statements made by Meryl Streep and fellow actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Gwyneth Paltrow, in an attempt to prove that not every actress he’s ever worked with has had a negative experience.

And Jennifer Lawrence has spoken out against the use of her name too. 

“Harvey Weinstein and his company are continuing to do what they have always done which is to take things out of context and use them for their own benefit. This is what predators do, and it must stop,” Lawrence told TMZ.

“For the record, while I was not victimised personally by Harvey Weinstein, I stand behind the women who have survived his terrible abuse and I applaud them in using all means necessary to bring him to justice whether through criminal or civil actions. Time’s up.”

Weinstein’s lawyers claim Streep, “stated publicly that Weinstein had always been respectful to her in their working relationship.”

The motion was filed this week in an attempt to dismiss a case put forward last year by six actresses: Louisette Geiss, Katherine Kendall, Zoe Brock, Sarah Ann Masse, Melissa Sagemiller and Nannette Klatt.

Over 50 women have now come forward to accuse the producer of sexual misconduct. 

Weinstein denies all allegations made against him.

Images: Rex Features