Weinstein to take leave amid sexual harassment allegations
Harvey Weinstein, the larger-than-life Hollywood executive and Oscar-winner, is taking a leave of absence from his company after an explosive expose revealing decades of sexual harassment against women, from employees to actress Ashley Judd, was published in the New York Times on Thursday.
The article includes first person accounts of Weinstein’s alleged conduct, including from Judd, who recounts an incident from two decades ago in which she said she was asked to meet Weinstein in his hotel room. Weinstein greeted her wearing a bathrobe and asked her if she would give him a massage or watch him shower, the paper reported.
“Women have been talking about Harvey amongst ourselves for a long time, and it’s simply beyond time to have the conversation publicly,” Judd told the Times.
Two unnamed company officials tell the Times that at least eight women have received settlements from Weinstein over the years, including actress Rose McGowan, who allegedly had an incident with him in 1997 when she was 23.
Other stories include similar accounts of Weinstein coercing young women into giving him massages, while naked, or watching him shower, and promising career advancement in return. These incidents were all said to have happened in hotel rooms.
Weinstein’s attorney, Charles Harder, said in a statement that the story is “saturated with false and defamatory statements about Harvey Weinstein.”
He did not respond to questions about what allegations Weinstein was contesting.
“We are confident in the accuracy of our reporting,” said a New York Times spokesperson in a statement, adding that the newspaper published Weinstein’s response “in full.”
Weinstein, 65, had a powerful perch in Hollywood for three decades, and was known for producing films like “Pulp Fiction” and “Shakespeare in Love,” for which he won an Oscar.
Weinstein and his brother Bob ran Miramax and in 2005 formed the Weinstein Co.
“I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it,” Weinstein said in a statement. “Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go.”
Weinstein has been married to designer Georgina Chapman since 2007; they have two children together. He has three children from his previous marriage.
In Weinstein’s statement, he quotes a Jay-Z lyric about being a better man for his children. He references coming of age in the ’60s and ’70s, when “all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different.”
“I want a second chance in the community but I know I’ve got work to do to earn it,” he wrote.