Oscar-winning producer Harvey Weinstein is facing disturbing allegations of sexually harassing and abusing woman — and the story just keeps getting worse.
Last week, the New York Times published a bombshell story claiming that Oscar-winning movie producer Harvey Weinstein has a long history of sexually harassing and abusing women in the industry, including actress Ashley Judd.
Since its publication, the story has spiraled into a full-blown scandal with consequences being felt from Hollywood to Washington D.C.
Weinstein is the co-founder and Miramax and the Weinstein Company, the production and distribution companies behind such films as Pulp Fiction, The King’s Speech, and Silver Linings Playbook. His current situation is arguably more dramatic than most of his own films, and new stories continue to come out. We’ve put together this primer.
The Story
On Oct. 5, the Times reported that since the 1990s, Weinstein has paid off at least eight women who have accused him of sexual harassment. Their investigation revealed a history of gross misconduct stretching back more than three decades. Among the victims named were his own personal assistants, journalists, executives, models, and prominent actresses like Rose McGowan.
Hollywood Responds
The story opened a Pandora’s box. Since its publication, more and more women and celebrities from across the industry have come forward to share their stories and throw their support behind the victims.
Heed the mantra and never forget: Women. Have. Nothing. To. Gain. And. Everything. To Lose. By. Coming. forward. https://t.co/ynKX1bcBkK
— Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) October 5, 2017
As always, I stand with the brave survivors of sexual assault and harassment. It's not your fault. I believe you.
— Brie Larson (@brielarson) October 5, 2017
The list of celebrities speaking out grows by the day and reads like a who’s-who of Hollywood, including Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Judi Dench and Matt Damon. “One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew,” said Streep in a statement to The Huffington Post. Meanwhile, Damon is also addressing claims he was involved in setting aside an earlier story about Weinstein.
A follow-up New York Times article published yesterday included two more A-list actresses. Gwyneth Paltrow told the Times that when she was only 22, he invited her to a private meeting where he “place his hands on her and suggest they head to the bedroom for massages”. Her then-boyfriend Brad Pitt reportedly confronted Weinstein, and she says she was later warned by the producer to keep quiet. After a “bad experience” in her youth, Angelina Jolie refused to ever work with him again.
Update: Oct. 11, 1:38 p.m. EDT: Cara Delevigne has now made a statement adding her own story about an encounter with Weinstein.
Designer Donna Karan, a longtime friend of Weinstein, was one of the few who recently came to his defense, only to walk back on it after facing a huge media backlash.
Weinstein Responds
Weinstein’s was quick to respond with a statement to the Times. Only a fraction of it was devoted to directly addressing the allegations. The rest was considered a rambling promise to take a leave absence in order to “conquer his demons” and atone for his behavior. Talk show hosts John Oliver and Stephen Colbert both broke down the statement, which included blaming the 1960s and misquoting Jay Z.
Weinstein Lawyers Up
Despite acknowledging at least some misconduct, Weinstein’s words were quickly followed and arguably contradicted by a statement from his attorney, Charles Hader. In an email to the Hollywood Reporter, the mogul’s lawyer essentially accused the New York Times of lying and deliberately ignoring contradictory evidence. Hader is preparing to file a lawsuit on his client’s behalf, with the proceeds of any compensation set to be donated to women’s organizations.
One of Weinstein’s legal consultants was none other than lawyer Lisa Bloom, daughter of famed feminist and civil rights attorney Gloria Allred. It came as a shock to many — Bloom has represented numerous high-profile women, including several of Bill Cosby’s accusers. Allred publicly questioned her daughter’s decision to consult Weinstein, going as far as to say she would be open to representing any of the producer’s victims in court, even against her own daughter.
When Bloom posted her official statement and defense of Weinstein on Twitter, the internet was quick to point out one telling omission. Last April, the Weinstein Company began developing a documentary based on her book Suspicion Nation:The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It.
She resigned as an advisor to Weinstein on October 7.
Board Fires Weinstein
Bloom’s resignation followed that of one-third of The Weinstein Company’s board. Despite initially supporting his so-called sabbatical, as more allegations surfaced, the remaining board members changed course and fired him the famed film mogul. They said:
"In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company — Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg, and Tarak Ben Ammar — have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately.”"
Donations to Political Campaigns
As a powerful producer, Weinstein’s influence extends beyond Hollywood — and so do the repercussions of his latest scandal. The producer has donated millions to various prominent and mostly Democratic politicians, including Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York. Shortly after the story broke, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont declared his plans to give Weinstein’s donation to a nonprofit supporting the advancement of women in Vermont.
Leahy’s donation set off a chain reaction and soon several of his fellow Democrats pledged to give Weinstein’s campaign contributions to charity. Pressure has mounted for other recipients to publicly denounce the producer and return his donation. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have both also made statements.
New Allegations and Responses
As actor Mark Ruffalo said in his denunciation of Weinstein on Twitter, we can only hope that “we are now seeing the beginning of the end of these kind of abuses.”
However, yesterday, the New Yorker published an even more explosivearticle after 13-month investigation by Ronan Farrow that contained even more shocking and deeply upsetting allegations. Only a few hours later, Weinstein’s wife Georgina Chapman announced that she is leaving the producer after 10 years of marriage.
Additionally, as of this morning, members of Parliament have asked that Weinstein lose his honors from Great Britain.
Update: Oct. 11, 4:04 p.m. EDT: According to The Hollywood Reporter, now Weinstein’s membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences could be in jeopardy.
As stories continue to update, keep an eye on this primer.