Abuser focus makes people feel like victims again, says star
CONSTANT talk of sexual predators in Hollywood risks “revictimising” women because it makes their attackers the centre of attention “once again”, says the actress Michelle Williams.
Williams, who stars in All the Money In the World – parts of which had to be reshot after actor Kevin Spacey was replaced – said the “real pity of abuse” was that the perpetrator became the “centre of things for a very long time”.
Concluding that “something big is happening”, she told Harper’s Bazaar the effect of such abuse on the women affected has become “unmanageable”.
Williams, who has received four Oscar nominations, had to reshoot scenes in her latest film when Ridley Scott, the director, replaced Spacey after the Oscar-winning US actor was accused of “routinely preying” on young men. The Old Vic theatre in London received allegations from 20 young men saying they were victims of “inappropriate behaviour” by the actor when he worked there as artistic director.
Following the accusations, Spacey was replaced in the film by Christopher Plummer a month before release. Williams told the magazine: “Every day seemed like such a long time. I’m checking my phone … what else is going on? It felt like the sky kept falling. Listen, it’s nothing compared to what people are going through, who are the true victims of this situation, but it did put our world into constant flux.”
The allegations followed revelations concerning the behaviour of producer Harvey Weinstein, who is accused of numerous claims of sexual harassment and assault, which he denies. Williams added that, for some women, it was “like being revictimised, because once again [the perpetrator is] the centre of attention. It’s still about them.”
Williams traces the scandal beyond Weinstein to Donald Trump, saying he “precipitated all these women coming forward. Because this is no longer something we are able to work with.”
“This is unmanageable and we can’t take it any more,” she said. So I think that’s why all this is happening now.”
The film, which is out on Jan 5, was given four stars by the Daily Telegraph. Critic Robbie Collin said Williams’s performance was “particularly good”.