Harvey Weinstein: Bad Santa director Terry Zwigoff backs Kiwi filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson's comments that Weinstein smeared actress Mira Sorvino

Sir Peter Jackson and Harvey Weinstein. Photos / AP

Another director has gone public about an alleged smear campaign against Hollywood actress Mira Sorvino, a day after Sir Peter Jackson said he was warned by disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein not to hire the actress for The Lord of the Rings films.

Sir Peter said Weinstein stopped him hiring Sorvino and fellow actress Ashley Judd, who have both since accused Weinstein of sexually harassing them early in their careers. They are among almost 70 women who say Weinstein was sexually inappropriate to them.

Movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Photo / File

Today, Bad Santa director Terry Zwigoff tweeted that he considered Sorvino for Bad Santa, but was hung up on every time he mentioned in on the phone to the Weinstein and his brother, Bob Weinstein.

"I was interested in casting Mira Sorvino in BAD SANTA, but every time I mentioned her over the phone to the Weinsteins, I'd hear a CLICK. What type of person just hangs up on you like that?! I guess we all know what type of person now.

"I'm really sorry Mira."

Sir Peter Jackson. Photo / File

Sir Peter told Fairfax this week Miramax - run in the late 1990s by Weinstein - told him Sorvino and Judd were a "nightmare to work with and we should avoid them at all costs".

"At the time, we had no reason to question what these guys were telling us - but in hindsight, I realise that this was very likely the Miramax smear campaign in full swing.

"I now suspect we were fed false information about both of these talented women - and as a direct result their names were removed from our casting list," he told Fairfax.

He also told Fairfax he had not heard any suggestion of Weinstein's sexual impropriety, but both Weinstein brothers acted like "second-rate Mafia bullies" and he decided to never work with them again.

Miramax later dropped out of the Rings project, with new studio New Line stepped in.

Actress Mira Sorvino. Photo / File

Sorvino responded to Sir Peter's comments by tweeting that she had "burst out crying".

"There it is, confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure. Thank you Peter Jackson for being honest. I'm just heartsick."

Just seeing this after I awoke, I burst out crying. There it is, confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure. Thank you Peter Jackson for being honest. I’m just heartsick https://t.co/ljK9NqICbm

— Mira Sorvino (@MiraSorvino) December 15, 2017