Freshly Brewed Entertainment Buzz

DID ASIA ARGENTO PAY OFF SEXUAL ASSAULT ACCUSER? Asia Argento paid her own sexual-assault accuser $380,000, according to a report in The New York Times. Argento has recently become synonymous with the #MeToo movement after accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, making the revelation not only shocking, but possibly a challenge for the movement intself. The New York Times reports that Jimmy Bennett accused her of sexually assaulting him when he was 17, and she was 37 in a motel room in 2013. His lawyer reportedly sent her lawyer “notice of intent” saying the aftermath of the “sexual battery” traumatized Bennett, affected his work and income, and endangered his mental health, which led to the payout. Argento’s boyfriend, chef Anthony Bourdain, committed suicide in June. Argento has not yet publicly commented on the report. (NYT)

LANA DEL REY DEFENDS PERFORMANCE IN ISRAEL: Lana Del Rey is defending herself after critics slammed her on social media for agreeing to headline Israel’s first-ever Meteor Festival. She will be performing with ASAP Ferg, Pusha T and Of Montreal, among others. “We signed onto the show w the intention that it would be performed for the kids there and my plan was for it to be done with a loving energy w a thematic emphasis on peace,” she says in a statement tweeted Sunday. “If you don’t agree with it I get it. I see both sides.” Critics say performers should boycott performing in Israel as a form of protest for the government’s treatment of Palestinians. Lorde and Natalie Portman recently took heed and declined invites to Tel Aviv. (Vulture)

ALEC BALDWIN PLAYS ROLE OF DISAPPROVING DAD ON SOCIAL: Alec Baldwin is not always a fan of his 22-year-old model daughter Ireland‘s sultrier snaps. In a post on Saturday, she boarded a motor bike wearing a bikini and cowboy boots. While she captioned it “stay extra,” dad, 60, disagreed. “No. Just… no,” Alec commented. (Page Six)

HARVEY WEINSTEIN’S HOME TRANSFORMED INTO CIRCUS-THEMED WEDDING VENUE: A former Weinstein Company board member’s son got married in accused sexual assaulter Harvey Weinstein‘s former Westport home. Marc Lasry is named as a defendant in the ongoing class-action suit against Weinstein and TWC. It is unclear if Lasry is the person who bought Weinstein’s home for $16 million, but according to The Blast, he set up a glamping style wedding reception for his son Zach and his bride Arianna Lyons. Organized around a circus theme, there were performers and circus tents. (The Blast)