Hollywood stars are finally speaking out over sexual harassment claims made against Harvey Weinstein after the movie mogul was fired yesterday.
The 65-year-old – so powerful that Meryl Streep once called him ‘God’ – has been dismissed from his own production company in the wake of allegations that surfaced last week.
Many Hollywood stars had remained largely silent over claims that Weinstein whose company produced such hits as ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘The Artist,’ preyed on young women hoping to break into the film industry.
But as news emerged yesterday that The Weinstein Company had fired the producer, some of the industry’s best known figures started to speak out in support of those who had made the allegations.
Actresses Susan Sarandon and Heather Graham as well as Spotlight star Mark Ruffalo were among those who took to Twitter yesterday to back the accusers who included Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd.
Hollywood stars are finally breaking their silence over sexual harassment claims made against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein (pictured)
Support: Actress Susan Sarandon said she had ‘huge respect’ for ‘all the women who broke their silence for the article on Harvey Weinstein’. Ashley Judd replied to the tweet saying ‘thank you’
Backing: Actress Heather Graham said that Ashley Judd was ‘brave’ and added: ‘I believe you’. Judd then replied to say ‘thank you, Heather’
On Sunday night, actor Mark Ruffalo said he hoped ‘we are now seeing the beginning of the end of these abuses’. Again Ashley Judd replied to say ‘thank you’
Harvey Weinstein is pictured with Rose McGowan, one of his most vocal accusers, in 2004
Judd replied to each of their posts, thanking them for their support.
Sarandon wrote: ‘Huge respect for @AshleyJudd and all the women who broke their silence for the article on Harvey Weinstein. Brave.’
Ruffalo wrote: ‘To be clear what Harvey Weinstein did was a disgusting abuse of power and horrible. I hope we are now seeing the beginning of the end of these abuses.’
Graham tweeted: ‘You’re brave @AshleyJudd. I believe you.’
Meanwhile, Rose McGowan tweeted that the team that produced the initial New York Times article containing the allegations had ‘saved lives’ with their ‘bravery’.
She said: ‘I salute you #jodikantor #megantwohey & @nyt editor thank you for your incredible work. You’ve saved lives with your bravery.’
James Gunn, who directed Guardians of the Galaxy, wrote: ‘If even 1/10th of the stories about Harvey Weinstein are true (and I believe they are), then good f**king riddance. That s**t’s gotta stop.’
Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, whose accusations of sexual harassment led to the downfall last year of former Fox CEO Roger Ailes, wrote in response to the firing: ‘Women’s voices heard. Again and Finally. #BeFierceAlways Its working.’
However, not everyone was impressed with the swiftness of the board’s decision.
Claims: Rose McGowan (left) reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement Weinstein settled a suit for $100,000 in 1995. Ashley Judd (right) says Weinstein asked her to watch him shower
Actress Patricia Arquette was among the stars who have taken to Twitter in recent days to back Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan
Christine Lahti was also among those to post on Twitter on Sunday, saying ‘the women who speak up about is are brave and heroic’
McGowan took to Twitter to share a photo of herself in her 20’s and wrote: ‘this is the girl that was hurt by a monster. This is the girl who you are shaming with your silence’
Actress Lena Dunham tweeted Sunday night, ‘Easy to think Weinstein company took swift action but this has actually been the slowest action because they always always knew.’
Weinstein was ousted Sunday night from the company he co-founded and that bears his name.
Following a devastating New York Times expose that detailed years of sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein, the Weinstein Co. co-chairman was unceremoniously fired by his brother, Bob, and three other directors on the film company’s board.
‘In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company … have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately,’ the company board said in a statement Sunday night.
For a domineering studio head long known for intervening in the edit room, this is very likely the final cut. His career in Hollywood, many in the industry believe, is finished.
It took much longer than three days for Weinstein’s fall. The reporting took months, and followed years of previous efforts by other journalists to nail down details of the behavior that was roundly considered ‘an open secret’ in Hollywood. And it took years for the alleged victims, including actress Ashley Judd, to work up the courage to go on the record.
Weinstein had previously taken an indefinite leave of absence following a New York Times expose chronicling decades of allegations of sexual harassment by the Oscar winner.
The board on Friday endorsed that decision and announced an investigation into the allegations, saying it would determine the co-chairman’s future with the company.
Italian actress and model Ambra Battilana (left) reportedly had her breasts groped in 2015 by Weinstein; Ex-Fox host Lauren Sivan (right) said he masturbated in front of her in 2007
Rose McGowan tweeted that the team that produced the NYT article had ‘saved lives’ with their ‘bravery’
Not everyone was applauding Sunday’s firing for its swiftness. Actress Lena Dunham tweeted her reaction last night
But The Weinstein Co. board went further on Sunday, firing the executive who has always been its primary operator, public face and studio chief. Under his leadership, the company has been a dominant force at the Oscars, including the rare feat of winning back-to-back best picture Academy Awards with ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘The Artist.’ In recent years, however, Weinstein’s status has diminished because of money shortages, disappointing box-office returns and executive departures.
The company has attempted to continue with business as usual, including a promotional event Sunday night for its 2017 awards hopeful, the indie hit thriller ‘Wind River.’ While it has a handful of films scheduled for release in the coming months, much of the company’s business has recently angled toward television, producing shows like ‘Project Runway.’
An attorney for Weinstein didn’t immediately return messages Sunday. But Weinstein will surely be heard from soon.
On Thursday he issued a lengthy statement that acknowledged causing ‘a lot of pain.’ He also asked for ‘a second chance.’ But Weinstein and his lawyers also criticized The New York Times’ report in statements and interviews, and vowed an aggressive response. The New York Times said it was ‘confident in the accuracy of our reporting.’
Harvey Weinstein is pictured here leaving his Manhattan home on Friday after taking a leave of absence from his own firm
The Times article chronicled sexual harassment settlements Weinstein made with actresses and former employees at both The Weinstein Co. and Weinstein’s former company, Miramax. Weinstein made his name with Miramax, the company he founded with his brother in 1979. They sold it to Disney in 1993 for $60 million.
The company was a fixture of the 1990s independent film movement, launching the careers of filmmakers Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith and Steven Soderbergh, and winning best picture with ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and ‘The English Patient.’
The allegations triggered cascading chaos at the Weinstein Co. A third of the all-male board has stepped down since Thursday. The prominent attorney Lisa Bloom, daughter of well-known Los Angeles women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred, on Saturday withdrew from representing Weinstein, as did another adviser, Lanny Davis.
A spokesperson for The Weinstein Co. declined to provide further details on the firing. Messages left for attorney John Keirnan, who had been appointed to lead an investigation, weren’t immediately returned Sunday.
ROSE MCGOWAN’S FURY OVER ‘SILENCE’
Rose McGowan, one of the women who reportedly sued Weinstein but later settled, hit out at women who are silent over sexual abuse on Sunday.
‘Ladies of Hollywood, your silence is deafening,’ she said, telling them to ‘get brave.’
McGowan, who reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement after settling for $100,000, has referred obliquely to her alleged abuse.
Last year, she tweeted under the hashtag #WhyWomenDontReport with the message ‘Because my ex sold our movie to my rapist for distribution’.
Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow, who have all won Oscars for starring in Weinstein films, have made no public comment.
On Sunday McGowan took to Twitter to share a photo of herself in her 20s, saying those who are silent about abuse shame the abusers’ victim
Pressure to act continued to mount on the board as more developments followed. Congressional Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, donated to charities thousands of dollars in donations they had received from Weinstein.
TV anchor Lauren Sivan on Friday detailed an alleged 2007 encounter with Weinstein in a HuffPost report. Sivan, then working at a New York cable channel, Long Island 12, alleged that Weinstein cornered her in the hallway of a Manhattan restaurant closed to the public and masturbated in front of her.
Sivan said she had rejected an attempt by Weinstein to kiss her. ‘Well, can you just stand there and shut up,’ she claims he responded.
She is scheduled to appear on Megyn Kelly’s NBC show on Monday.
Bob Weinstein and David Glasser, chief operating officer, are now running The Weinstein Co. But it remains to be seen not only if the company can continue without its prominent producer but also whether it can weather questions of culpability in its former co-chairman’s behavior.
In reaction to Thursday’s report, many in Hollywood called Weinstein’s behavior ‘an open secret.’ The settlement funds paid out also may have come from The Weinstein Co.
While many remained silent, some in the movie industry have vented their disgust with the allegations against Weinstein in recent days, including Lena Dunham and Brie Larson.
For them, the allegations against Weinstein not only compare to those against Bill Cosby and Roger Ailes, but reflect Hollywood’s deep-rooted gender inequality. Imbalances in pay between actors and actresses and the continued paucity of women directors behind the camera for the biggest productions have been ongoing issues in Hollywood.