Movie mogul fired from his firm
Producer Harvey Weinstein gets sacked for sexual harassment over several decades.
LOS ANGELES: Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein (pic) was fired from his film studio The Weinstein Company following reports that he sexually harassed women over several decades.
“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’s board said in a statement quoted by US media.
The firing came after The New York Times published a bombshell report earlier this week that alleged 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.
The accusers – reportedly including celebrities such as Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd – say Weinstein promised to help advance their careers in exchange for sexual favours, pressuring them to massage him and watch him naked.
Republicans have pounced on the scandal because Weinstein has been a major backer of Democratic candidates. Many Democratic lawmakers have since vowed to give their contributions from Weinstein to charity.
President Donald Trump, who said he had known Weinstein for a “very long time”, said he was “not at all surprised” by the revelations.
Trump faced his own sex scandal last year when video emerged of him using lewd language to describe groping women.
Many in the entertainment industry have spoken out in the wake of the allegations.
“The women who chose to speak about their experience of harassment by Harvey Weinstein deserve our awe,” actress and self-proclaimed feminist Lena Dunham said. “It’s not fun or easy, it’s brave.”
Five of the company’s nine allmale board members have resigned over the scandal.
The remaining members are Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar. — AFP