Salma Hayek posts tribute to Rose McGowan's former manager

Salma Hayek posted a touching tribute to Jill Messick the former Miramax executive, and one time manager of Rose McGowan, who killed herself Wednesday.

Messick was McGowan’s manager during the time that the actress alleges Harvey Weinstein raped her in 1997.

Hayek took to Instagram to say she is ‘deeply saddened’ by the loss of Messick.

‘Jill was Frida’s executive at Miramax. She always navigated the frustrating and hostile environment of Miramax with grace and elegance. She became my ally and my friend,’ the actress wrote of her time filming the Academy Award winning movie.

Salma Hayek shared a touching tribute (pictured left alongside Frida producer Sarah Green) to former Miramax executive, Jill Messick, who committed suicide this week- as Messick’s family blames the loss on her being dragged into the Harvey Weinstein scandal

Hayek, who starred in Frida, wrote Messick navigated the ‘hostile environment at Miramax’ with grace and elegance

McGowan and Weinstein are seen here in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2007 at an awards ceremony

‘In the many years we worked together I witnessed her professionalism while being pregnant, a mother and through incredible pressure. She was a girl’s girl and a romantic when it came to fighting for the underdog.’

‘I will forever be grateful for her support and kindness. My heart is with her husband Kevin, her precious children Jackson and Ava and her friends and family, that like me cherish her memory. May she Rest In Peace,’ Hayek wrote in closing.

The family of Messick, age 50, released a statement on Thursday confirming that the studio head had committed suicide.

Messick’s family revealed the executive had suffered privately from depression and at least one manic episode, in an essay that was intensely critical of Weinstein, McGowan and the press, saying their loved one ‘became collateral damage in an already horrific story.’

‘Words matter,’ the statement read. ‘Someone’s life may depend on it.’

This comes after the January 30 release of McGowan’s book, Brave, which claims Messick did little to help her after she confided in her about the alleged attack by Weinstein.

Hollywood producer Jill Messick (pictured), who was Rose McGowan’s manager in 1997 at the time the actor alleges Harvey Weinstein raped her, died by suicide on Wednesday

Messick, who her family said had battled depression over the years, was dragged into the spotlight in the midst of a public exchange between Weinstein’s attorney, Ben Brafman, and McGowan.

Messick was the manager who set up McGowan’s now-infamous meeting with Weinstein, at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997, where McGowan alleges Weinstein raped her.

When McGowan was previously asked if she told anyone about her alleged assault, specifically her manager, McGowan said: ‘Yes, but she got a job with him for seven years right afterwards.’

That was a reference to Messick taking a job at Miramax as vice president for development, shortly after McGowan had discussed with her that 1997 meeting with Weinstein.

Messick’s family said that she chose not to speak out following comments by McGowan, made publicly and included in her book, because she believed in the #MeToo movement, which the family only referred to as ‘the movement.’

They said she didn’t comment even though McGowan’s personal battle resulted in Messick’s misrepresentation.

‘Now that Jill can no longer speak for herself, it’s time to set the record straight,’ the statement read.

Rose McGowan speaks onstage during the NBCUniversal portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena on January 9

Harvey Weinstein is seen here in New York City on September 7

The family went on to say that having her name wrapped up in allegations of sexual misconduct against McGowan, allegedly perpetrated at the hands of Weinstein and by implication with her aid, was too much for Messick, who ‘was just starting to get her life back on track’ after suffering a manic episode five years ago.

‘What makes Rose’s inaccurate accusations and insinuations against Jill ironic was that she was the first person who stood up on Rose’s behalf, and alerted her bosses to the horrific experience which Rose suffered,’ the family added.

Messick’s family added that seeing her photo in an international news story of such a nature was a reminder that ‘the media is a fearsome tool which cannot be used indiscriminately or even inadvertently to create further victims.’

‘There is a responsibility when using a platform to accurately expose criminals, predators, mistruths and misdeeds while protecting the actual truth of third parties,’ the statement read.

Brafman, acting on behalf of Weinstein, chose to make public an email that Messick had sent to Weinstein, at Weinstein’s request according, to the family statement.

Messick had sent the email months before the allegations of decades of sexual assault by the executive came to light, when they were first reported in October.

That email spoke to part of the circumstances surrounding some of the allegations of sexual assault that McGowan has lodged against Weinstein.

Messick is seen here with Paramount’s Brady Grey in Los Angeles in 2007

DailyMail.com obtained that email on January 30, which included the following passage, written by Messick:

‘When we [McGowan and Messick] met up the following day, she hesitantly told me of her own accord that during the meeting that night before she had gotten into a hot tub with Mr. Weinstein. She was very clear about the fact that getting into that hot tub was something that she did consensually and that in hindsight it was also something that she regretted having done.’

Brafman suggested what Messick wrote in her email about McGowan getting into the hot tub ‘consensually’ actually meant that Messick said any sex act that occurred at that time was also consensual.

But the email from Messick to Weinstein falls short of describing McGowan’s interaction with Weinstein on that day as consensual sex, despite including some language that would suggest Messick believed McGowan had embellished her account of that meeting.

Lawyers from Addis-Wechsler & Associates also said that it was Messick who headed up settlement talks between McGowan and Weinstein, as they were asked by her to meet with the now-disgraced mogul, but the family refutes that statement.

Messick is seen here with family in a photo shared to social media

McGowan is seen out and about in Manhattan on February 1, near Weinstein’s former office

The statement relayed a more detailed account of what Messick’s family said had remained the producer’s consistent story since 1997.

It read: ‘In January 1997, Jill was an entry-level manager at Addis Wechsler. One of her first clients was Rose McGowan, and one of Jill’s first duties was to set up a breakfast meeting with Harvey Weinstein during the Sundance Film Festival. Following the meeting, Rose told Jill what had happened — that she made the decision to remove her clothes and get in the hot tub with him — a mistake which Rose immediately regretted. Rose never once used the word rape in that conversation.

‘Despite this, Jill recognized that Harvey had done something untoward to Rose, if not illegal. She immediately went to her bosses, the partners of Addis Wechsler, to recount Rose’s story and to insist that they immediately address the situation. They told Jill that they would handle the situation.

‘The ensuing arrangements between Rose and Harvey were then negotiated, completely without Jill’s knowledge. At that time, all Jill knew was that the matter was settled and that Rose continued making films with the Weinsteins. She never knew any details until recently, when Rose elected to make them public.’

Messick shared this photo with her family to social media on July 30, 2016

Neither McGowan or Weinstein have commented publicly on Messick’s death, or the family’s statement.

Neither could immediately be reached for comment by DailyMail.com.

Messick is survived by two children, Jackson and Ava, their father, Kevin Messick, her father, Michael, her brother, Jan, and her partner, Dan Schuck.

She attended Santa Barbara High School and later graduating with a degree in communications rrom the University of Southern California.

Messick was born on July 27, 1967.

Ready the full statement by her family, below.

The National Suicide Prevention line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-273-TALK.

Hollywood producer Jill Messick’s family release scathing statement slamming Harvey Weinstein and McGowan

‘The Movement’ just lost one of its own.

Jill Messick was a mother of two children, a loving wife and partner, a dear friend to many and a smart entertainment executive. She was also a survivor, privately battling depression, which had been her nemesis for years.

Today she did not survive. Jill took her own life.

Jill was victimized by our new culture of unlimited information sharing and a willingness to accept statement as fact. The speed of disseminating information has carried mistruths about Jill as a person, which she was unable and unwilling to challenge. She became collateral damage in an already horrific story.

Jill believed in the Movement. She supported every woman finally coming forward to share their dark truths and expose those who had committed previously unspeakable deeds. She was loyal. She was strong. Jill was many things, but she was not a liar.

Over the past few months, many women have come out with allegations against Harvey Weinstein, including Rose McGowan, who has repeatedly spoken with the press, striking out against not only her alleged attacker, but a great many others. One of them was Jill, who chose to remain silent in the face of Rose’s slanderous statements against her for fear of undermining the many individuals who came forward in truth. She opted not to add to the feeding frenzy, allowing her name and her reputation to be sullied despite having done nothing wrong. She never chose to be a public figure; that choice was taken away from her.

Now that Jill can no longer speak for herself, it’s time to set the record straight.

In January 1997, Jill was an entry-level manager at Addis Wechsler. One of her first clients was Rose McGowan, and one of Jill’s first duties was to set up a breakfast meeting with Harvey Weinstein during the Sundance Film Festival. Following the meeting, Rose told Jill what had happened — that she made the decision to remove her clothes and get in the hot tub with him — a mistake which Rose immediately regretted. Rose never once used the word rape in that conversation. Despite this, Jill recognized that Harvey had done something untoward to Rose, if not illegal. She immediately went to her bosses, the partners of Addis Wechsler, to recount Rose’s story and to insist that they immediately address the situation. They told Jill that they would handle the situation. The ensuing arrangements between Rose and Harvey were then negotiated, completely without Jill’s knowledge. At that time, all Jill knew was that the matter was settled and that Rose continued making films with the Weinsteins. She never knew any details until recently, when Rose elected to make them public.

Ten months later, in November of 1997, Jill received a call from the Miramax exec VP of production, recruiting her for a job as an executive at Miramax Films working in production in Los Angeles. Jill was hired based on merit and her excellent work of over two years as a young development executive working with Woods Entertainment (prior to her time at Addis Wechsler).

Rose’s most recent round of press to promote her book has included new stories involving Jill. The constant press attention Rose has garnered in print and on national TV led to Harvey Weinstein releasing two documents. One of these was an email that Jill wrote to him months prior to the first New York Times piece coming out, and at his request. In this email, Jill offered the truth based on what she remembers Rose telling her about the Sundance account. In the face of Rose’s continued and embellished accusations last week, Harvey took it upon himself to release the email without her consent.

Five years ago, Jill suffered a manic episode. Anyone familiar with bipolar disorder knows that it is a cruel and vicious disease. With the help of doctors, her family and friends, Jill rebounded. Jill had fought to put her life back together. After a long job search, she was in negotiations to run the production division for a new entertainment company.

Seeing her name in headlines again and again, as part of one person’s attempt to gain more attention for her personal cause, along with Harvey’s desperate attempt to vindicate himself, was devastating for her. It broke Jill, who was just starting to get her life back on track. What makes Rose’s inaccurate accusations and insinuations against Jill ironic was that she was the first person who stood up on Rose’s behalf, and alerted her bosses to the horrific experience which Rose suffered. Twenty years ago, as a very junior person in a management company hierarchy, Jill exhibited her integrity in doing the right thing — she raised the red flag with the heads of her firm. In the face of inappropriate behavior, Jill handled the situation appropriately.

Hers is one of the only stories that has stayed consistent over time as we watch other media reported tales morph to beget further attention.

While journalists serve an important role in exposing predatory behavior, we are seeing irresponsible choices and an addiction to sensationalism which leads to inconsistent storytelling. The media is a powerful tool not to be taken lightly. Most individuals would be horrified to have their name spotlighted in a major international news story — let alone their photograph. We cannot forget that the media is a fearsome tool which cannot be used indiscriminately or even inadvertently to create further victims.

There is a responsibility when using a platform to accurately expose criminals, predators, mistruths and misdeeds while protecting the actual truth of third parties.

As we collectively seek to take action in an effort to right the wrongs so brazenly and inhumanely repeated for a generation, we must not forget one simple truth: Words have power. While we illuminate the dark corners for hidden truths, we must remember that what we say, particularly in the media, can have just as much impact if not more than our actions. We must ask more of ourselves, and of each other. We must take a moment to consider the ramifications and consequences of what we say and what we do.

Words matter.

Someone’s life may depend on it.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk

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