Asia Argento Joins "The X Factor" Italy as Judge
by Ariston Anderson
May 31, 2018


Asia Argento will return to Italian television as a judge on Italy's upcoming season of "The X Factor". She joins fellow judges Fedez, Mara Maionchi and Manuel Agnelli, along woth host Alessandro Cattelan.

"X Factor Italy" is produced by FremantleMedia Italy for Sky. "We are excited to welcome Asia to the X Factor family, where we are confident that the contribution of her musical culture and personality will be very important to the show," said Nils Hartmann, director of Sky Italy original productions.

"We welcome all the protagonists of this new edition, but particularly Asia Argento, whom we are delighted to have on board," said Gabriele Immirzi, COO of FremantleMedia Italy. "X Factor 2018 will signal a more creative and productive renovation of the show, with the ambition to continue to grow and be more and more the reference point for Italian and international music shows."





In addition to her titles of actress, director and activist, Argento has long led a successful music career. She is also the great-granddaughter of famed Italian composer Alfredo Casella.

She recently collaborated with french super-group Indochine on their platinum album 13, singing the duet "Gloria" and directing a music video for their song "La vie est belle."

Her first directed music video was for Marilyn Manson's "(s)AINT)" and she has also sung on collaborations over the years with Brian Molko of Placebo, Tricky, and Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre.





The new role on the popular show will also mark a triumphant return for Argento after being shunned by the Italian industry and denounced in Italian media after she spoke out about being raped in Cannes by Harvey Weinstein. At this year's Palme d'Or awards ceremony, she gave a powerful speech, describing the festival as Weinstein's "hunting ground," as well as calling out his many industry enablers.

Argento tweeted that her joining "The X Factor" was important, "especially because I will be working in Italy" where "I was slut-shamed for months on prime time TV and front page of newspapers."

She concluded by expressing how she felt about getting her new on-air role: "Sweet. Bittersweet."

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/asia-argento-joins-x-factor-italy-as-judge-1116054

Asia Argento’s "X Factor Italy" Gig Questioned after Report of Deal with Assault Accuser
by Nancy Tartaglione
August 20, 2018


It was with great fanfare that FremantleMedia Italy and Sky Italia revealed in May that Asia Argento would star as a judge on the upcoming season of Sky Uno’s "X Factor Italy".

Today, however, there may be a question mark hanging over her participation in the series as revelations about accusations against the actress were reported by the New York Times on Sunday. Late yesterday, the Times said Argento had arranged a deal to pay actor/musician Jimmy Bennett $380,000 after he accused the Italian actress and filmmaker of sexually assaulting him when he was 17.

A spokesperson for FremantleMedia Italy today told Deadline the company had “no comment” on the evolving situation.




Argento has been the top Twitter trend all day in Italy where she has been set to appear on the local "X Factor‘s" 12th season beginning September 6. Argento was previously a judge on Rai’s dance format "Forte Forte Forte" and a contestant on the local version of "Dancing With the Stars".

Today, some Twitter users in Italy are calling for Argento to be removed from the show.

https://deadline.com/2018/08/asia-argento-x-factor-italy-uncertainty-sexual-accusation-payoff-1202448392/

Asia Argento will be cut from X Factor Italy if New York Times story saying she paid off an underage sexual assault accuser is "confirmed" (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/asia-argento-be-cut-x-factor-italy-assault-claim-is-confirmed-producers-say-1135966)
The Times reported on Sunday (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/19/us/asia-argento-assault-jimmy-bennett.html) that the Italian actress, a leader in the #MeToo movement, "quietly arranged" a $380,000 settlement with accuser Jimmy Bennett, a young actor and rock musician who was 17 when she allegedly sexually assaulted him. The report comes weeks before Argento's debut on X Factor Italy, which is set for Sept. 6. Network Sky Italia and producer FreemantleMedia Italia released a statement responding to The Times, saying "if the allegations reported by the New York Times today were to be confirmed ... we would have no choice but to take note of it and put an end to the collaboration with Asia Argento."

Asia Argento Denies Sex with Jimmy Bennett, Says Anthony Bourdain Paid to Stop Harassment
by Greg Evans
August 21, 2018


Asia Argento denied today that she engaged in a sexual relationship with the then-underaged Jimmy Bennett, saying in a statement that she is “deeply shocked and hurt having read the news that is absolutely false.”

“I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett,” Argento said in a statement obtained by journalist Yashar Ali. The Italian actress did, however, confirm that her late boyfriend, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, paid Bennett to stop harassing Argento.




Argento’s lawyer did not respond to Deadline’s calls yesterday, seeking more information about the payment made to Bennett.

Bourdain considered Bennett “dangerous,” Argento said, after Bennett requested an “exorbitant” amount of money from Argento. “Anthony was afraid of the possible negative publicity that such person, whom he considered dangerous, could have brought upon us.”




Argento further states that Bennett, whom she had known “several years by friendship only,” was experiencing “severe economic problems” at the time and had taken legal action against his own family. She said Bennett knew that Bourdain was a man of “great perceived wealth” and “had his own reputation as a beloved public figure to protect.”

She called yesterday’s New York Times story about an alleged sexual relationship between her and the then-17-year-old Bennett “the umpteenth development of a sequence of events that brings me great sadness and that constitutes a long-standing persecution.”

The actress ends the statement with the suggestion of possible legal action.

https://deadline.com/2018/08/asia-argento-jimmy-bennett-denial-anthony-bourdain-paid-harassment-1202449155/

To me, she is a hypocrite. It's rare that women are the ones who assault and men are the victims. Now this shows that not everybody no matter what gender is perfect.

They mention her great grandfather but not her even more famous father, Dario Argento?

Asia Argento Axed from "X Factor Italy"; Expected to Appear in Pre-Taped Shows
by Nancy Tartaglione
August 27, 2018


Asia Argento is expected to be dropped from the upcoming 12th cycle of "The X Factor Italy", but is likely to appear in episodes that have already been taped.

Local media reported over the weekend that the current scenario would see the Italian actress and filmmaker take part in the first seven pre-recorded shows, later being replaced for the live installments by an as-yet unnamed judge.




Producers have yet to make an official statement, although a source close to "X Factor Italy" confirms the accuracy of a report in Italian daily Il Messaggero. The first episodes in which Argento participated were to select the season’s 12 competitors, and broadcasting what’s already been taped is said to be out of respect for the 40K people that attended the casting and the contestants who were ultimately chosen.

The series returns to Sky Uno on September 6 with the live shows beginning October 25.




The moves follow calls for Argento’s ouster after a New York Times story published last Sunday alleged she sexually assaulted a 17-year-old male in 2013 and arranged a deal to pay him $380,000 over the incident.

https://deadline.com/2018/08/asia-argento-x-factor-italy-exit-pre-taped-episodes-1202452636/