Harvey Weinstein: The Filmmaker’s Fall From Grace
By: BECCA CROSS
On October 5, 2017, the first slew of headlines regarding sexual harassment and assault at the hands of powerful Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein were released. According to Forbes.com, with over 341 Academy Award nominations and 81 wins, Weinstein's impact, clout, and success in the filmmaking industry is evident.
However, it is this very reason Weinstein has been able to keep several secrets over the tremendous length of his career. Hiring legal aid, threatening to sanction film roles, and employment to a plethora of professionals has allowed for him to resume his daily life as if he did not possess a volatile and threatening habit.
According to BBC News, “Zelda Perkins, a British former assistant of Weinstein, tells the Financial Times she was paid $165,200 to keep quiet after accusing the movie mogul of sexual harassment.”
Additionally, “Actress Rose McGowan claims she turned down a one million dollar offer from Harvey Weinstein in exchange for her silence,” BBC reports. Since then, she has claimed Harvey Weinstein raped her, and she has gone on several news programs to discuss her sexual abuse.
The New Times released an audacious and thorough article claiming Weinstein has a horrid history of sexual harassment of several actresses. The New York Times gained traction with Megan Twohey’s and Jodi Kantor’s article by including quite publicly notable victims, including Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd in the article. The article includes several accounts in which Weinstein bartered sexual acts in exchange for roles.
The New York Times asserts, on October 10, thirteen more women came forward in their admittance to experiencing unacceptable and inappropriate behavior from Weinstein; furthermore, that same day, actress Asia Argento claims Weinstein raped her in a hotel room, according to Jacey Fortin. Since then, numerous women have come forward in sharing their experiences with Weinstein in which they were sexually assaulted and harassed.
Although the atrocities that have come to light by the hands of the successful filmmaker have been revealed and record a harsh treatment of women in Hollywood, the response from several actors and actresses have sparked universal movements. Most notably, the “Me Too” movement via social media in which victims of sexual assault and violence share their stories and include the hashtag, “Me Too,” to signify, their journey beyond the abuse.
Shortly after, Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jennifer Lawrence, Olivia Wilde, and more Hollywood celebrities publicly denounced and condemned the actions of Harvey Weinstein, inspiring victims of sexual assault to confront their experiences and seek help to cope with the repercussions.
In addition, former colleague Jeffrey Katzenberg describes Harvey Weinstein as a “Monster.”
Besides being denounced by former coworkers and friends among the industry, Weinstein has been fired from The Weinstein Company, (a company in which he and his brother, Bob Weinstein, founded) expelled from voting (regarding the Academy Awards), banned for life from The Board of Producers Guild of America, and has had several police investigations launched against him. According to BBC News, the “Police in the US and UK say they are investigating specific allegations from 2004 and the 1980s.”
On Friday, October 27, “Weinstein took legal action against his former company after his lawyer alleged The Weinstein Company has denied requests for documents to defend himself from allegations” BBC News adds.
The once all-powerful film producer is now struggling to stay afloat as he is left to pick up the scraps of his shattered life in the wake of severe sexual allegations in the past months that have alluded to deeper issues. Nevertheless, they have brought more attention to sexual abuse awareness.
Works Cited
BBC News. “Entertainment & Arts: Harvey Weinstein’s Timeline.” BBC News, 16 Nov. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41594672. Accessed 20 Nov. 2017.
Berg, Madeline. “After Expulsion from the Academy, Here Are All of Harvey Weinstein’s 81 Oscar Wins.” Forbes.com, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2017/10/13/here-are-all-of-harvey-weinsteins-oscar-wins/#25508b3d946c. Accessed 20 Nov. 2017.
Fortin, Jacey. “The Women Who Have Accused Harvey Weinstein.” The New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/us/harvey-weinstein-accusations.html. Accessed 30 Nov. 2017.
McGowan, Rose. Interview. Oct. 2017.
Twohey, Megan, and Jodi Kantor. “Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades.” The New York Times, 5 Oct. 2017, p. 1, www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/us/harvey-weinstein-harassment-allegations.html. Accessed 30 Nov. 2017.