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Actor Chris Noth’s Sex and the City co-stars have responded to the escalating swirl of sexual assault allegations against him, backing the three women who have made the claims.
In a joint statement posted to social media on Tuesday (Australian time), Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis said they were “deeply saddened” to learn of the claims against Noth, who plays Mr Big in the show and the And Just Like That, reboot.
The shared statement came as Noth was dumped by a TV network and lost out on a multimillion-dollar deal after a third woman accused him of a historical sexual assault, mere weeks after his reprisal of Mr Big in And Just Like That.
The woman, who used the pseudonym, Ava, told media outlet Daily Beast on Saturday that the actor assaulted her while she was working in a New York City restaurant in 2010.
The accusations proved too much for beverage company Entertainment Arts Research, which was about to buy Noth’s tequila brand, Ambhar, for $US12 million ($16.9 million). The deal was made in August and due to be finalised this week, but EARI has walked away.
“It doesn’t make sense for us to move forward with this deal in light of the claims, which must be taken with the utmost seriousness,” EARI CEO Bernard Rubin said in a statement on Monday.
Noth has also been dumped from CBS series The Equalizer. He played William Bishop in the crime drama and will still be seen in one original upcoming episode, as well repeats of episodes that have already aired.
The latest allegations came after two women earlier this month accused 67-year-old Noth of of sexual assault, dating back to 2004 and 2015.
Both made their allegations public through the Hollywood Reporter. One, going by Zoe, alleged Noth raped her in his West Hollywood apartment, while the other – under the pseudonym Lily – claimed he forced her into sexual relations at his New York City apartment.
In a triple hit for the star, the latest accusation came the same day his talent agency, A3 Artists Agency, dropped him – just three months after it signed him.
Fitness brand Peloton and its collaborator, Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds, have also wiped a campaign featuring Noth from social media channels as the accusations emerged.
Noth released a statement after the first two claims, labelling them “categorically false”.
“The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false,” he said.
“These stories could’ve been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago – no always means no – that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual.
“It’s difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don’t know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.”
Noth has not responded to the third accusation.
