Stars stay silent over Weinstein
Nick Allen
Hollywood has been accused of hypocrisy as allegations of sexual harassment against Harvey Weinstein, the volcanic-tempered movie mogul, were met with a “deafening silence” from A-list stars.
Two days after the New York Times reported that Weinstein had reached at least eight legal settlements with women dating back decades, only a smattering of entertainment industry figures condemned a man who has long held the power to make or break careers.
Lisa Bloom, a feminist lawyer who had been criticised for her decision to advise Weinstein, announced that she was resigning.
But Charmed star Rose McGowan, who reportedly settled a harassment case against Weinstein in 1997, said she had been expecting fellow actresses to speak out publicly. She tweeted: “Ladies of Hollywood, your silence is deafening.” McGowan, 44, accused the industry, including agents, directors, producers, studio heads, and the actors’ union of a “30-year cover-up”. Anthony Bourdain, a celebrity chef, called the A-list “nauseating, chickenhearted enablers all”.
Those yet to comment publicly included a host of actresses who have starred in Weinstein movies. They included Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Gwyneth Paltrow Jessica Chastain, an A-list star, voiced “respect” for McGowan and Ashley Judd, who told the New York Times that Weinstein, 65, had sexually harassed her in a hotel. Susan Sarandon tweeted: “Huge respect for @AshleyJudd and all the women who broke their silence for the article on Harvey Weinstein. Brave.”
US President Donald Trump weighed in, saying he’s known Weinstein for a long time and “I’m not at all surprised to see it”.
When asked about the correlation between the Weinstein controversy and his own following the leak of an Access Hollywood tape, he said: “That’s locker room [talk],” the same response he gave last year.
— Telegraph Group Ltd, AAP