Prior to his termination at The Weinstein Company on Sunday, Harvey Weinstein sent out an email from his private account pleading with Hollywood executives to help him save his job.
The leaked note, which was read on MSNBC’s “Deadline: White House,” asked execs to send an email in support of Weinstein that would be forwarded to TWC’s board of directors. Weinstein was hoping that the board would allow him to take a leave of absence and undergo therapy.
“Allow me to resurrect myself with a second chance. A lot of the allegations are false, as you know, but given therapy and counseling as other people have done, I think I’d be able to get there,” Weinstein wrote.
“Just give me the time to get therapy. Do not let me get fired. If the industry supports me, that is all I need. With all due respect, I need the letter today.”
Weinstein has been known for his myriad connections in and out of Hollywood, which he has often used to promote his films during campaign season. He first broke into the awards scene in 1990 with “My Left Foot,” arranging meet-and-greets with star Daniel Day Lewis and Academy members. Most recently, Weinstein reached out to the likes of Madeline Albright and Salman Rushdie to promote his Oscar contender “Lion,” tying the film’s subject matter about an Indian boy adopted by an Australian family to Donald Trump’s travel ban.
But Weinstein’s connections did not help him recover from The New York Times’ report of his history of sexual harassment, which led to three members of TWC’s board resigning and the others, including Weinstein’s brother, Bob, deciding to force him out of his own company on Sunday.
The full email, as read on MSNBC, can be read below:
“My board is thinking of firing me. All I’m asking is let me take a leave of absence and get into heavy therapy and counseling whether it be in a facility or somewhere else. Allow me to resurrect myself with a second chance. A lot of the allegations are false, as you know, but given therapy and counseling as other people have done, I think I’d be able to get there. If you can, I need you to send a letter to my private Gmail. The letter would only go to the board and no one else. What the board is trying to do is not only wrong but might be illegal and would destroy the company. If you could write this letter backing me getting me the help and time away I need and also stating your opposition to the board firing me, It would help me a lot. I am desperate for your help. Just give me the time to get therapy. Do not let me get fired. If the industry supports me, that is all I need. With all due respect, I need the letter today.”
