Patty Jenkins ‘Distressed’ Over Brett Ratner Accusations Days After Giving Him Award

Jenkins had honored “Rush Hour” filmmaker at Jewish National Fund gala on Sunday

AFI Fest Patty Jenkins Brett Ratner
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

“Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins said Wednesday she was “extremely distressed” to learn that six women have accused Brett Ratner of sexual harassment and assault — after presenting an award to the producer at a gala for the Jewish National Fund on Sunday.

“When I spoke of Brett, I spoke of my own experiences with him, which were not these at all,” Jenkins said in a statement on Twitter. “I have never witnessed nor been aware of anything that is now being described. To be clear, I am definitely not okay with this kind of behavior.”

Jenkins, who stepped in for Gal Gadot at Sunday’s gala to present the “Rush Hour” filmmaker the Tree of Life award, said in her speech that while she had only met Ratner briefly, he wrote her a check to cover the cost of her thesis film.

Ratner had told her that Steven Spielberg paid for his thesis film, she said, and he wanted to pay it forward.

But after the Los Angeles Times published an expose today which outlined claims from six women that Ratner harassed or assaulted them, Harvey Weinstein accuser Asia Argento tweeted a video of Jenkins’ speech with a message asking Jenkins if she was “still feeling inspired” by Ratner after news of the allegations.

Ratner’s attorney Marty Singer has said his client has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.

Read Jenkins’ full statement below:

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