In the wake of two bombshell reports detailing the sexual harassment, assault and rape allegations against Harvey Weinstein, dozens and dozens of stars have come out to publicly condemn the powerhouse producer and co-founder of Miramax and The Weinstein Company.
Ashley Judd was one of the first women to come forward in the initial New York Times report. Judd told the Times that she was invited to Weinstein’s hotel room, where he repeatedly asked for inappropriate contact such as massages. “I said no, a lot of ways, a lot of times, and he always came back at me with some new ask,” she said. “It was all this bargaining, this coercive bargaining.”
Gwyneth Paltrow was nicknamed “The First Lady of Miramax” after starring in “Emma” and “Shakespeare in Love,” but in a follow-up report by the Times, Paltrow revealed that Weinstein also made inappropriate advances toward her when she was 22. “I was a kid, I was signed up [for ‘Emma], I was petrified,” she said. “I thought he was going to fire me.”
Angelina Jolie told the New York Times in an email that she had a “bad experience” with Weinstein as a young actress, but provided no further details, simply adding that she “chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did.” “This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable,” she said.
Rose McGowan was named in the initial New York Times report as having reached a $100,000 settlement with Weinstein “after an episode in a hotel room during the Sundance Film Festival” in 1997. The actress, who starred in “Scream” for Miramax in 1996, has repeatedly condemned Weinstein and his enablers since the story first broke, and has launched a petition to have the board of The Weinstein Company dissolved. She also accused her “Going All the Way” co-star Ben Affleck of covering up Weinstein’s behavior.
Asia Argento was one of three women who said they were raped by Weinstein in a bombshell New Yorker report by Ronan Farrow. The star of Miramax’s 1998 crime drama “B. Monkey” said she was lured to Weinstein’s hotel room under the false pretense of a party, where he requested a massage and forcibly performed oral sex on her. She said she remained friendly with Weinstein, including a continuing sexual relationship, for fear that speaking out would cost her career. “When I see him, it makes me feel little and stupid and weak.” she said. “After the rape, he won.”
Rosanna Arquette told the New Yorker that Weinstein lured her to his hotel room where he exposed himself to her, grabbed her hand and tried to place it on his penis. “I’m not that girl. I will never be that girl,” she said she told him after he threatened her career. “He’s going to be working very hard to track people down and silence people,” she said. “To hurt people. That’s what he does.”
Mira Sorvino starred in multiple Weinstein films, including 1995’s “Mighty Aphrodite,” for which she won an Academy Award. The actress told The New Yorker that Weinstein repeatedly harassed her when they were working together, saying she “must have said no a thousand times.” She also confessed that she believes her rejection of Weinstein’s advances cost her work. “There may have been other factors, but I definitely felt iced out and that my rejection of Harvey had something to do with it,” she said.
Cara Delevingne, who appeared in The Weinstein Company’s “Tulip Fever,” described her own experience of being sexually harassed by Weinstein in an Instagram post. “I felt very powerless and scared but didn’t want to act that way, hoping that I was wrong about the situation,” she wrote, saying that guilt and fear kept her from speaking out sooner.
Kate Beckinsale came forward to describe her own “uneasy” encounter with Weinstein in which the producer invited the then-17-year-old to his hotel room, greeted her in his bathrobe and offered her alcohol. She said Weinstein approached her years later to ask if he had “tried anything” with her during their first meeting. “I realized he couldn’t remember if he had assaulted me or not,” she wrote.
Léa Seydoux described being sexually harassed by Weinstein in an interview with The Guardian. The “Blue Is the Warmest Colour” star said she met the producer at his hotel room while they were both in Paris, and said Weinstein “suddenly jumped on me and tried to kiss me,” forcing her to physically resist him. “Everyone knew what Harvey was up to and no one did anything,” she said. “It’s unbelievable that he’s been able to act like this for decades and still keep his career.”
George Clooney called Weinstein’s actions “indefensible” in an interview with The Daily Beast. Weinstein helped launch Clooney’s film career with 1996’s “From Dusk Till Dawn,” but the actor said he never witnessed the behavior first-hand and dismissed the rumors that swirled around the powerhouse producer for decades. “We’ve had dinners, we’ve been on location together, we’ve had arguments. But I can tell you that I’ve never seen any of this behavior — ever,” he said.
Benedict Cumberbatch, who stars in The Weinstein Company’s “The Current War,” said in a statement that he was “utterly disgusted” by Weinstein’s “horrifying and unforgivable actions.” He called on everyone in the industry to stand up for women and victims of sexual abuse. “Others may be emboldened by our support to come forward and speak. But we shouldn’t wait until there are any more stories like this,” he said. “There has to be zero tolerance of any such behavior in any walk of life.”
Leonardo DiCaprio, who worked with Weinstein on a number of films including “The Aviator,” “Django Unchained,” and “Gangs of New York,” issued a statement on Facebook condemning sexual harassment and assault, but stopped short of naming Weinstein or referring to the allegations made against him directly. “I applaud the strength and courage of the women who came forward and made their voices heard,” he wrote.
Kate Winslet called Weinstein’s behavior “reprehensible and disgusting” in a statement to Variety, voicing unequivocal support for his accusers. “”I have no doubt that for these women this time has been, and continues to be extremely traumatic,” she said. “I fully embrace and salute their profound courage.” Winslet won an Oscar for the Weinstein-produced “”The Reader” in 2009.
Glenn Close said she was aware of the “vague rumors” that surrounded Weinstein in a statement to the New York Times, adding that she felt “angry and darkly sad” that they’ve now been substantiated. “I’m angry, not just at him and the conspiracy of silence around his actions, but also that the ‘casting couch’ phenomenon, so to speak, is still a reality in our business and in the world,” she said.
Meryl Streep said in a statement to the Huffington Post that she “didn’t know” about the allegations against Weinstein, despite starring in a number of his films, including “August: Osage County.” “The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar,” she said. “Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”
Charlize Theron voiced support for the women who came forward with accusations against Weinstein on Instagram, saying that she wasn’t surprised by the reports. “This culture has always existed, not just in Hollywood, but across the world,” she wrote. “And many men in positions of power have gotten away with it for far too long. We cannot blame the victims here … I want you all to know I support you.”
Cate Blanchett, like her “Aviator” co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, stopped short of naming Weinstein in her statement condemning sexual harassment. “Any man in a position of power or authority who thinks it’s his prerogative to threaten, intimidate or sexually assault any woman he encounters or works alongside needs to be called to account,” she said.
Jennifer Lawrence won an Oscar for the Weinstein-produced “Silver Linings Playbook” in 2013, but the actress said in a statement that she was “deeply disturbed” by the allegations against him. “This kind of abuse is inexcusable and absolutely upsetting,” she said. “My heart goes out to all of the women affected by these gross actions. And I want to thank them for their bravery to come forward.”
Nicole Kidman issued a statement saying she supports all women “who speak out against any abuse and misuse of power — be it domestic violence or sexual harassment in the workforce.” Kidman has worked with Weinstein on a number of films, including “Cold Mountain,” “The Others,” “Nine” and last year’s “Lion.”
Mark Ruffalo, who has starred in multiple films produced by Weinstein, tweeted his condemnation of the producer, calling his actions “a disgusting abuse of power and horrible.” He later elaborated in an interview with Channel 4, saying, “That s— can’t stand. And we have to call it out, even if it’s in our own community.”
Kevin Smith has a long history of working with Weinstein, including Miramax films like “Clerks” and “Chasing Amy.” In a tweet, the filmmaker said he was “ashamed” of that partnership. “He financed the first 14 years of my career – and now I know while I was profiting, others were in terrible pain. It makes me feel ashamed,” he wrote.
Jane Fonda told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that she’s known about Weinstein’s behavior since she was approached a year ago by her friend Rosanna Arquette, who later went public with her accusations in the New Yorker. “I’m ashamed that I didn’t say anything right then,” she said, explaining that she “didn’t feel that it was [her] place” to speak out on someone’ else’s behalf.
Judi Dench earned a string of Oscar nominations for her work in Weinstein films, including “Mrs. Brown,” “Chocolat,” “Iris,” “Notes on a Scandal” and “Shakespeare in Love.” She once even had a Weinstein’s name temporarily tattooed on her butt as a joke. In a statement to Newsweek, the actress said she was “completely unaware” of his behavior, calling it “horrifying.”
Minnie Driver has starred in a number of Weinstein-produced films, most notably “Good Will Hunting,” for which she received an Oscar nomination, but in a statement to Variety the actress said she never experienced abuse first-hand. “I think it’s important to add my voice to those of women everywhere who have experienced abuse at the hands of powerful men,” she said.
Lena Dunham condemned Weinstein as a “predator” in a scathing New York Times op-ed, also taking aim at men in Hollywood who remained silent about his behavior. “The reason I am zeroing in on the men is that they have the least to lose and the most power to shift the narrative, and are probably not dealing with the same level of collective and personal trauma around these allegations,” she wrote.
Jessica Chastain said in a series of tweets that she was “warned from the beginning” about Weinstein and called on others to support victims and call out abuse. “Thank God for social media,” she wrote. “Weinstein couldn’t kill this wave of warriors working to keep this story alive. This has been very painful.”
Matt Damon was once recruited by Weinstein to vouch for him when TheWrap’s Sharon Waxman first tried to report a story about Weinstein’s actions for the New York Times in 2004. In an interview with Deadline, he denied that he had any knowledge of abuse. “Even before I was famous, I didn’t abide this kind of behavior,” he said. “But now, as the father of four daughters, this is the kind of sexual predation that keeps me up at night. This is the great fear for all of us.”
Ben Affleck, who worked with Weinstein on “Good Will Hunting,” wrote in a statement on Facebook that he was “addened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass, and manipulate women over decades.” However, his “Going All the Way” co-star Rose McGowan later accused him of covering up for Weinstein in a tweet. “You lie,” she wrote.
Penelope Cruz said she was “extremely sad and shocked” by the allegations against Weinstein in a statement to Buzzfeed. “I need to express my support to the women that have had such horrible experiences. They have shown great bravery by talking,” said Cruz, who won an Oscar for The Weinstein Company’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” “That kind of abuse of power is absolutely unacceptable.”
Heather Graham wrote in an essay for Variety that Weinstein once made her an offer to trade sex for a role in one of his films, an offer she declined and never spoke about publicly. “My hope is that this moment starts a dialogue on redefining sexual harassment in the workplace and empowers women to speak out when they feel uncomfortable in a situation,” she wrote.
Jamie Lee Curtis penned an op-ed in The Huffington Post in response to the accusation from Donna Karan that sexual harassment victims are “asking for it.” Referring to Weinstein as a “brutish thug,” Curtis shared that she had been subject to harassment throughout her own career despite never having asked for it. “Perhaps the truth will out other sexual harassment, be it from a governor or a president or a presidential candidate or studio head or movie star or executive or anyone else complicit in this billionaire boys club bulls— that will come to an inglorious end,” she wrote.
Iliza Shlesinger was set to publish her book “Girl Logic” with the Weinstein Books imprint at Hachette, but the stand-up comic condemned Weinstein’s “deplorable behavior” in a statement on Twitter. “We owe it to ourselves as a community to no longer be complicit in this culture of misogyny,” she wrote. “Things must change.” Hachette later announced that it would shut down Weinstein Books and release all contracted books through other imprints.
Julianne Moore discussed the Weinstein scandal on MSNBC, saying she never had a problematic encounter with Weinstein personally, despite starring in multiple films for Miramax and The Weinstein Company. “I’m shocked,” she said. “I think no one was aware that he had settled with eight different women and as we know, cases keep coming forward so this, to me, is completely egregious and shocking.” She said individuals need to “speak up” to create a safe environment for accusers to come forward.
Emma Thompson called out Weinstein as a “predator” in an interview with BBC’s “Newsnight.” “I didn’t know about these things but they don’t surprise me at all and they are endemic to the system anyway,” she said. “There has been a conspiracy of silence and I think there will probably have been about a million and one missed opportunities to call this man out on his disgusting behavior.”
Seth MacFarlane made a joke referencing Weinstein’s sexual misconduct during an Oscars announcement in 2013. Following the reports about Weinstein’s actions, the “Ted” star revealed that the joke “came from a place of loathing and anger” after a friend of his recounted her experience with Weinstein.
Ryan Coogler‘s debut feature “Fruitvale Station” was released by The Weinstein Company, but the director said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that he had no knowledge of the abuse or any further interaction with Weinstein. “As men we sit in positions of privilege. It is our responsibility to leverage our position, and be allies to the women in our industry,” he said. “We need to do everything we can to make sure violations like these don’t continue to happen.”
John Madden, who directed Miramax’s “Shakespeare In Love,” said in a statement to Buzzfeed that Weinstein’s actions “deserve total condemnation.” He continued, “I applaud the women who have been brave enough to share their testimony of profoundly damaging and deeply abusive experiences.”
Tamron Hall, the “Today” show alum who signed a deal with The Weinstein Company for her own talk show, told The Huffington Post that she called Weinstein directly for a “take no prisoners” phone call after the New York Times report. She called the behavior described by his accusers “horrifying” and said she was working with lawyers to figure out the “next steps” for her show.
Alyssa Milano serves as host of “Project Runway: All Stars,” a TV project produced by Weinstein. She said in a lengthy statement that she was “sickened” by the accusations, but adding that she was hopeful that bringing them to light would lead to change. “I’m happy — ecstatic even — that it has opened up a dialogue around the continued sexual harassment, objectification and degradation of women,” she said. “Sexual harassment and assault in the workplace are not just about Harvey Weinstein. We must change things in general. We must do better for women everywhere.”
Tom Hanks slammed Weinstein in an interview with the New York Times, calling the producer an “ass” and saying that the allegations made against him “fit” with Weinstein’s publicly aggressive persona. “I know all kinds of people that just love hitting on, or making the lives of underlings some degree of miserable, because they can,” he said. “They think their achievements entitle them.”
Chris Hemsworth spoke out against Weinstein in an interview with TVNZ while promoting “Thor: Ragnarok.” “It’s horrible, it’s awful, my heart goes out to anyone who suffered through that kind of abuse and experience,” he said. “I hope it sheds a light on the issue and people don’t continue to abuse their positions of power, and people aren’t manipulated into situations they don’t want to be a part of.”
Viola Davis came out against Weinstein, who produced the film “Kate & Leopold,” in a statement to Variety. “To the predators.. Weinstein, the stranger, the relative, the boyfriend,” she wrote. “I say to you, ‘You can choose your sin but you don’t get to choose the consequences.’ To the victims…. I see you. I believe you… and I’m listening.”
Brie Larson‘s breakout role was as a sexual assault survivor in “Short Term 12,” and the actress has been an outspoken advocate through the years, memorably hugging survivors at the Oscars and refusing to applaud for Casey Affleck. She reiterated her support in a tweet following the news about Weinstein. “As always, I stand with the brave survivors of sexual assault and harassment,” she wrote. “It’s not your fault. I believe you.”
Emma Watson worked with Weinstein on “My Week with Marilyn” in 2011 and did not single out Weinstein in her condemnation of sexual harassment on Twitter following the New York Times report. “I stand with all the women who have been sexually harassed, and am awestruck by their bravery. This mistreatment of women has to stop,” she wrote, adding that men can also be victims of sexual harassment.
Ryan Gosling starred in 2010’s “All Good Things,” which was produced by Weinstein, and in a statement on Twitter the actor said he was “deeply disappointed in [himself] for being so oblivious” to Weinstein’s behavior. Noting that Weinstein is part of a “systemic problem, Gosling said called on men to “stand with women and work together until there is real accountability and change.”
Seth Rogen came out in support of Weinstein’s accusers in a tweet shortly after the initial New York Times report. “I believe all the women coming forward about Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment,” he wrote. “It takes bravery to do so.”
Rebecca Hall appeared in multiple Weinstein films, including “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” and said she had previously heard rumors of his behavior but never experienced it first-hand. “I certainly was never allowed near a meeting with him on my own, and anything like that. In retrospect, I understand why, even if my representatives weren’t explicitly telling me,” she told IndieWire.
Paul Feig called Weinstein’s behavior “reprehensible” in a series of interviews with The Guardian, later adding that an audio recording published by The New Yorker was “beyond disturbing.” “Men need to speak up,” the “Bridesmaids” director said. “This can’t be women just speaking up. They need backup. It’s a big sacrifice for women to come forward with this stuff. As we’ve seen over history, they are generally not rewarded for coming forward.”
Jeffrey Katzenberg, the former Disney executive who worked with Weinstein after Miramax was bought by the company, publicly released an email he sent to Weinstein after the producer turned to him for help in the wake of the New York Times report. “You have done terrible things to a number of women over a period of years,” he wrote to Weinstein. “I cannot in any way say this is OK with me…. It’s not at all, and I am sickened by it, angry with you and incredibly disappointed in you.”
Michael Eisner, the former Disney CEO who fired Weinstein and his brother Bob from running Miramax, called Harvey “an incorrigible bully” in a tweet, adding that he “had no idea he was capable of these horrible actions.”
Bob Iger, the Disney CEO who served as president and COO when Weinstein’s Miramax was acquired by the company, released a statement condemning Weinstein, saying that the producer’s “reported behavior is abhorrent and unacceptable, and it has no place in our society.”
Nancy Dubuc, the A+E Networks chief who’s in business with The Weinstein Company on “Project Runway” and other TV properties, called Weinstein’s behavior “disgusting and horrifying” in an interview with Variety. “One of the epidemics in our industry is the abuse of power,” she said. “When it’s pushed to extreme physical limits as in what we saw with Bill Cosby and what’s coming out now (with Weinstein) it is particularly troubling.”
Jeremy Zimmer, CEO of UTA, sent an internal memo to staff in the wake of the Weinstein scandal, calling it “disgusting” and saying he was “proud” of the UTA clients who stepped forward with their allegations against Weinstein. “Harvey earned his demise. And it should serve as a cautionary tale to anyone in our industry who believes moguls own their thrones,” he wrote, encouraging staffers to report inappropriate behavior at the company.
Colin Firth starred in Weinstein’s Oscar-winning “The King’s Speech,” said in a statement to The Guardian that he was given a “feeling of nausea” when reading the reports about Weinstein. “He was a powerful and frightening man to stand up to. It must have been terrifying for these women to step up and call him out. And horrifying to be subjected to that kind of harassment. I applaud their courage,” he said.
Jeff Bridges addressed the allegations against Weinstein in an interview with the Associated Press. “It was a terrible thing he did,” he said. “I wish him the best, struggling with his demons. But his behavior was terrible.”
Gretchen Mol had been subject to a number of rumors about her relationship with Weinstein over the years, but the actress spoke out against those rumors in a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter. “The shameless behavior of this powerful man found shameless co-conspirators in people … who then tried to push their foulness onto women who are blameless,” she wrote. “I hope my colleagues, those women who have been affected by this abuse, can put this poison aside. We have no reason to feel ashamed.”
Christian Slater shared a statement on Twitter, voicing support for the women making allegations against Weinstein and calling on men to support them. “No woman should fear for her safety in the workplace,” he wrote. “No man should feel immune from the consequences of his actions. Accountability is essential to destroy the dangerous and persistent idea that some people are above the law.”
Blake Lively discussed the allegations against Weinstein in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, calling them “devastating.” “This exists everywhere so remember to look everywhere,” she said. “This isn’t a single incident. This cannot happen, this should not happen, and it happens in every single industry.”
Robert Rodriguez has released several films with Weinstein, including “From Dusk Til Dawn,” “Sin City” and “Spy Kids.” The director released a statement calling the allegations against Weinstein “truly disturbing.” “His repulsive behavior was an abuse of power,” he said. “Thankfully, he’s now discovering what true power is.”
David Thewlis, who recently starred in Weinstein’s adaptation of “Macbeth,” issued a short statement to Buzzfeed saying, “Men like this who equate fame and power with the right to degrade women should be unequivocally condemned, shamed and be seen to suffer the consequences.”
Chloe Sevigny made her film debut in the Weinstein-produced “Kids” in 1995. She condemned him in a statement to Buzzfeed, calling for “casting couch culture” to come to an end. “Every woman speaking her truth, and every person who supports that woman, will help that change,” she said.
James Gunn shared a lengthy Facebook post titled “On Sexual Predators In Hollywood (and the World)” in the wake of the Weinstein scandal, condemning sexual predators in every industry. “When someone is coerced sexually it not only affectthat he was s that person, but the lives of those around that person, like rows of dominoes falling in every direction. It demolishes trust and comfort in all of society,” he wrote. “F—. Them. All.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted that he was “appalled and repulsed by the Weinstein news as anyone with a beating heart. And forever in awe of the bravery of those who spoke out.” His “In the Heights” co-author Quiara Alegría Hudes later released a statement asking that The Weinstein Company allow them to extricate the film adaptation and take it to another company, a request Miranda co-signed.
Ewan McGregor called his “August: Osage County” collaborator a “bully” on Twitter saying that he had “heard rumors” about Weinstein through the years. “Weinstein. It’s about time this came to light and he is getting just deserts,” he wrote.
