Brad Pitt reportedly threatened Harvey Weinstein with a 'Missouri whooping' years ago

In this Nov. 23, 2011, file photo, producer Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Co., appears during an interview in New York.
In this Nov. 23, 2011, file photo, producer Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Co., appears during an interview in New York.

Years ago, after Harvey Weinstein allegedly put his hands on Brad Pitt's then-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow in an unwanted way, Missouri native Pitt threatened the movie producer with a "Missouri whooping," People reports.

Paltrow described her encounter with Weinstein to The New York Times, one of many women who have accused him of sexual misconduct over the years in a scandal that has rocked Hollywood.

Paltrow was 22 years old when Weinstein hired her for the lead role in the 1996 movie "Emma." Before shooting began, she told the Times, Weinstein summoned her to his suite at the Peninsula Beverly Hills for a work meeting.

At some point, Weinstein put his hands on her and suggested they go into the bedroom for massages.

"I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified," she told the Times.

Paltrow, who began dating Pitt after meeting on the set of "Se7en," told him what happened.

A source tells People magazine that Pitt confronted Weinstein about the incident at a Hollywood party and threatened to give the movie mogul a "Missouri whooping."

Pitt grew up in Springfield, Mo.

"Brad threatened Harvey," the source tells People. "He got right in his face, poked him in the chest and said, 'You will not ever do this to Gwyneth ever again.'

Pitt reportedly made it clear "there would be consequences" if Weinstein did anything like that again.

The source described Pitt as a "young guy in Hollywood taking a chance" at hurting his career by threatening such an important kingpin.

"He's one of the only men in Hollywood who stood up and said something. That's a fact," the source said.

On Tuesday, a YouTube user posted part of Paltrow's interview with David Letterman in November 1998 as she was promoting the Weinstein-produced "Shakespeare in Love."

That would have been about three years after her run-in with Weinstein in the hotel room. It was right before Thanksgiving, and Letterman asked Paltrow whether she was making the appearance "of her own free will. Has someone coerced you into being here?"

"Do you count Harvey Weinstein as a coercer?" Paltrow said, laughing.

"Harvey Weinstein is a, I don't know whether he's in some kind of organized crime now," Letterman said. "But he used to be like some kind of junior mob kind of guy. He was like in the mob auxiliary and now he's like a big powerful film guy."

"I do all my movies for Harvey Weinstein, that's Miramax and I'm lucky to do them there, but he will coerce you " Paltrow said.

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