Inside the sleaze scandal that’s tearing Hollywood apart
he’s one of H Hollywood’s biggest film producers, credited for launching the careers of A-listers such as Jennifer Lawrence and Ben Affleck.
But last week, a bombshell report by a US paper claimed that Harvey Weinstein had repeatedly sexually harassed a number of his female employees and actresses – including British stars – throughout his 30 years in the industry.
The publication alleged that he had once asked actress Ashley Judd to watch him take a shower during a meeting in a hotel room. Meanwhile, actress Rose Mcgowan was reportedly given an undisclosed settlement after suffering “an episode in a hotel room at the Sundance Festival.”
Following the revelations, his production company, The Weinstein Company, sensationally fired him. And in another blow, his British wife of ten years, Georgina Chapman, revealed she was leaving him.
A huge wave of Hollywood stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, spoke out to reveal that they had also faced harassment at the hands of Weinstein, 65.
While Hollywood’s leading men, including Leonardo Dicaprio and George Clooney, condemned the producer’s actions, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon – whose 1997 Oscarwinning film Good Will Hunting was produced by Weinstein – faced allegations they’d long known about his behaviour. It then spread to the UK, with Kate Beckinsale, Cara Delevingne, Emma Thompson and Myleene Klass speaking out.
When the first allegations began to surface, Weinstein said his behaviour had “caused a lot of pain and I sincerely apologise for it”. He later “unequivocally denied” any allegations of non-consensual sex. His spokesperson said, “With respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr Weinstein believes all of these relationships were consensual.”
Last week, as the scandal gathered pace, Weinstein fled to a £30K-a-month rehab clinic in Arizona, telling the press, “I gotta get help…we all make mistakes.”