Since it’s creation in 2005, the Weinstein Company has quickly risen to become one of Hollywood’s top Independent film production companies. It has given us critically acclaimed movies and classics like The King’s Speech, Django Unchained, Inglorious Bastards, Silver Linings Playbook, Southpaw, The Fighter, Scary Movie, Halloween and Sin City. I mention all of those movies to give you better idea of what is at stake for the Weinstein Company and it’s co-founder, Harvey Weinstein.
The Allegations
Since his now ex-wife, Georgina Chapman, divorced him earlier this year, Weinstein has been continuously hit with sexual assault and rape allegations from some of Hollywood’s critically acclaimed actresses. The Gaurdian broke down the allegations that each actress has provided, all detailing the truly traumatic experiences they had with the companies founder (Via The Guardian):
Gwyneth Paltrow was 22 and had been hired for the lead in the Jane Austen adaptation Emma. She told the New York Times she had been summoned to Weinstein’s hotel suite, where she suggested she give him a massage. She said she refused and felt petrified. She confided in her then boyfriend Brad Pitt, who confronted Weinstein. Soon after, the producer warned her not to tell anyone else. “I was expected to keep the secret,” she told the newspaper. “I thought he was going to fire me.”
During the release of Playing by Heart in the late 1990s, Angelina Jolie found herself in a hotel room with Weinstein, she told the NYT. He made unwanted advances which she rejected. “I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth and as a result chose never to work with him again, and warn others when they did,” she told the paper.
The Italian actor Asia Argento alleges that Weinstein raped her when she was 21. She told The New Yorker she had been invited to what she thought was a party in his Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc room near Cannes, but found herself alone with him. He changed into a bathrobe and asked her to give him a massage. She said she had reluctantly agreed, but that he pulled her skirt up and forcibly performed oral sex on her. She said she felt guilty about what she described a “horrible trauma” and for not fighting him off. She later went on to have consensual sexual relations with him, which she described to the magazine as one-sided and onanistic, because she believed he would ruin her career if she didn’t comply. “After the rape, he won,” she said.
Public Outrage
The list doesn’t stop there.Many other actresses have came out to speak against Harvey Weinstein and their experiences with him as they were ‘trying to climb the ladder’ of Hollywood, all showing the disgusting situation that many women trying to establish themselves in industries face. Actresses including; Lucia Evans, Mira Sorvino, Rosanna Arquette, Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, Tomi-Ann Roberts, Ashley Judd, Emma De Caunes, Romola Garai, Dawn Dunning, Rose McGowan, Lauren Siva and Liza Campbell. The list goes on and on, and further more, these are only the women who have come out and spoken out about their disgusting experiences with the Hollywood producer. Celebrities and Politicians have also joined in to express disgust in his actions, including Barack Obama, Jay-Z and Hilary Clinton.
Obama’s Statement:
“Any man who demeans and degrades women in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accountable, regardless of wealth or status. We should celebrate the courage of women who have come forward to tell these painful stories,” the statement said.
What We Know So Far:
The Weinstein company Spokesperson has made a statement regarding the allegations and it’s full of denial from Harvey’s side:
Weinstein’s spokeswoman has said in a statement: “Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein. Mr Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances.” Though he was unable to respond to anonymous allegations, of those made on the record “Mr Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual”, the statement added.
Denial is probably the best move for Weinstein and company, because like I said the stakes are high. The Weinstein Company is a Million dollar Hollywood Production company and with the current allegations facing it’s co-founder, the company could be in big trouble.
