Asia Argento Returns to Italian TV as ‘X Factor’ Judge
By Nick Vivarelli
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – After coming under fire in Italian media for accusing Harvey Weinstein of rape, Asia Argento is returning to Italian TV as a judge on “The X Factor,” which will air on pay-TV service Sky Italia this fall.
FremantleMedia Italy, which is producing the show for Sky, has announced that Argento will join the “” Italy judging lineup of rapper Fedez, recording industry executive Mara Maionchi, local rocker and record producer Manuel Agnelli, as well as host Alessandro Cattelan. Besides being an actress and director, Argento has had a music industry career as a singer and disc jockey.
“We are thrilled to welcome Asia to the ‘X Factor’ family where we are sure that the contribution of her musical culture and personality will be of great importance,” Gabriele Immirzi, COO of FremantleMedia Italy, said in a statement.
Argento recently collaborated with influential French rock group Indochine on their platinum album “13,” singing the duet “Gloria” and directing a music video for their song “La vie est belle.” She has also collaborated as a singer with Brian Molko of Placebo, Tricky, and Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
She returns to Italian television after serving as a judge on pubcaster RAI’s talent show “Forte forte forte” in 2015 and as a contestant on Italy’s “Dancing With the Stars,” also on RAI, in 2016.
Argento, who was one of the first of more than 80 women to go public with her allegations against Weinstein, was ridiculed by the Italian press for accusing the Hollywood producer of rape in the New Yorker expose by Ronan Farrow. Italian transsexual politician and TV host Vladimir Luxuria tweeted at the time that Argento “should have said ‘no’ to Weinstein” when he allegedly raped her. Several Italian commentators have taken a similar tone.
In an interview with Variety at the time, she complained of being “slut-shamed” by Italian media, “which is medieval.”
Earlier this month, during the Cannes Film Festival’s closing ceremony, Argento delivered a strong indictment of Weinstein, describing the festival as his “hunting ground.”
