Weinstein allegations swell as film industry faces scrutiny

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – The avalanche of assault accusations against Harvey Weinstein grew Wednesday as more actresses came forward with explosive charges against the movie mogul, whose lurid behavior has opened a Pandora’s Box of Hollywood harassment and hypocrisy. The new claims landed as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as the Cannes film festival organization declared the abusive behavior repugnant, but also as film figures warned that such actions have gone virtually unchecked in an industry that for years has seen itself in a progressive light. The Weinstein revelations are just “the tip of the iceberg,” comedy actor and director Rob Schneider told TMZ. Amid the gravity of the situation, the Academy, which has awarded 81 Oscars to Weinstein films produced by Miramax and then the Weinstein Company, announced it would convene a meeting on Saturday to “discuss the allegations against Weinstein and any actions warranted by the Academy.’’ Weinstein, 65, has denied all charges, according to a statement from his spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister. The scandal has rocked Hollywood, with the list of the Oscar-winner’s harassment victims also reportedly now including Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Rosanna Arquette and French actress Judith Godreche. But a new angle to allegations emerged Tuesday when three women, including an Italian film star, claimed that Weinstein raped them. The Weinstein Company board has sacked him, and his wife Georgina Chapman told celebrity magazine People she was leaving Weinstein, with whom she has two children.