Meryl Streep responds to Rose McGowan: 'I wasn't silent'

Meryl Streep has responded to criticism received from Rose McGowan, following her decision to wear black to the Golden Globes as part of a peaceful protest against the sexual harassment scandal that has engulfed the entertainment industry.

Former Charmed actress Rose, had slammed the three-time Oscar winner for being "silent" and called out the "hypocrisy" in a series of tweets that have since been deleted.

Now Meryl, 68, has clapped back, saying it "hurt," insisting she "wasn't silent."

"I wasn’t deliberately silent. I didn’t know," she said in a statement released to the Huff Post. "I don’t tacitly approve of rape. I didn’t know. I don’t like young women being assaulted. I didn’t know this was happening."

• Rose McGowan slams Meryl Streep: ‘I despise your hypocrisy’

• Why actresses will wear black at Golden Globes

Meryl was among some of the biggest stars in the industry who are planning on wearing black in an act of solidarity and protest against the concerning issue, something Rose had singled her out for in an angry tweet.

"YOUR SILENCE is THE problem," she wrote. "You’ll accept a fake award breathlessly & affect no real change. I despise your hypocrisy. Maybe you should all wear Marchesa."

“It hurt to be attacked by Rose McGowan in banner headlines this weekend," Meryl said. "But I want to let her know I did not know about Weinstein’s crimes, not in the 90s when he attacked her, or through subsequent decades when he proceeded to attack others."

Meryl, who is currently filming the sequel to Mamma Mia with Amanda Seyfried, went on to explain she has never been to Harvey's house, never been invited into his hotel room and listed one professional meeting she had with the producer in 1998.

"He needed me much more than I needed him and he made sure I didn’t know," she said.

Rose, has been one of the loudest voices when it comes to condemning the now disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein who has been accused of a series of sexual offences by countless women, including Rose McGowan

The Scream actress has accused him of raping her in 1997 and according to the New York Times Rose, was paid $US100,000 to drop sexual harassment claims against Harvey at the time.

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