TOM’S VIEWS ON ABUSE

Actorfilmmaker Tom Hanks weighs in on the sexual harassment scandal currently ripping through Hollywood, says that predators are everywhere

The raft of sexual harassment allegations against prominent men in the entertainment business is no surprise for him, says Tom Hanks. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 61-year-old actor-filmmaker believes that predators are everywhere.

The Bridge of Spies star noted that there is a dark side to the film industry that cannot be ignored. “The bad stuff can happen on a movie as well. There are some people who go into this business because they get off on having power. And the times they feel the most powerful, which is why they went into the business, are when they are hitting on somebody who’s underneath them, [and] I don’t necessarily mean completely sexually. There are predators absolutely everywhere,” he said.

Hanks also shared that he is optimistic about the changes being made in Hollywood and these changes can make the industry a safer place. “Somebody said, ‘Is it too late to change things?’ No, it’s never too late. It’s never too late to learn new behaviours. And that’s a responsibility of anybody who wants to obey a code of professional ethics,” said the Academy Award winning actor, who has made these comments as allegations of sexual misconduct in Hollywood continued to intensify in recent weeks.

Following the misconduct allegations surrounding 65-year-old producer Harvey Weinstein, Hollywood stars including Brett Ratner, Louis CK, and Jeremy Piven have also been accused of abusing their position of power.

Most recently, Matt Lauer was fired from his position as host of the Today show after there was a “detailed complaint by a colleague”, who accused Lauer of behaving inappropriately.

The bad stuff can happen on a movie as well. There are some people who go into this business because they get off on having power

TOM HANKS, ACTOR