Salma Hayek has claimed her showbiz pal Penelope Cruz was "really angry" at her for not sharing her Harvey Weinstein story sooner.

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek

The 51-year-old actress alleges that Weinstein sexually harassed her on the set of 2002 movie 'Frida', and after coming out with the accusations last year, her close friend Penelope was seemingly upset that she hadn't confided in her sooner.

Salma said: "Penélope was really angry at me, because I didn't tell her what was going on while it was happening. But, you know, I didn't realise Harvey was doing it to other people, too, so I thought, 'Why dump your stuff on someone and take away from their professional relationship with him?' At that time Harvey was doing the best movies."

The 'Grown Ups' actress made the comments as she spoke at length with Ashley Judd - who also accused Weinstein of sexual harassment in October last year - for Town and Country magazine.

And whilst Ashley, 49, was one of the first stars to come forward with her accusations against the 65-year-old producer, Salma admits it took her longer to speak out because she was still coming to terms with what she alleges happened.

She added: "It took me a couple of months in my head, because I had never told anyone. Just thinking about it weakened me emotionally. And if it affected me in such a way just to think about it, why would I say it out loud? The hard part was to tell my husband, because I had said, 'Oh, Harvey was a bully,' but I had never told him all of it."

Salma - who has 10-year-old daughter Valentina with her husband Francois Pinault - credited Ashley with pushing her to come forward with her story.

She told the 'Kiss The Girls' actress: "The only reason I was able to finally do it was your loving hand. If it weren't for you, this story wouldn't have come out."