It's been a few days since news began breaking that longtime producer Harvey Weinstein had been accused of sexual harassment by several women who had professional interactions with him over the years. Although Weinstein pushed back hard, saying he would be suing The New York Times for its lengthy profile, more allegations and weird stories have come to light, and Harvey Weinstein was fired from his position with The Weinstein Company. In the wake of those allegations, Meryl Streep, who has appeared in several Weinstein Company films, has spoken out to explain that not everyone knew about this sort of behavior. The outspoken Streep has stated,
One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew. Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally. I didn't know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts. And If everybody knew, I don't believe that all the investigative reporters in the entertainment and the hard news media would have neglected for decades to write about it.
Her above comments come as part of a lengthy statement that Meryl Streep released on Monday, a statement which also notes that Meryl Streep is unhappy with how the news came to light, and a statement which The Huffington Post notes also mentions that the people who have spoken out are "brave" and that the alleged behavior Harvey Weinstein has been accused of is "inexcusable."
Meryl Streep has long been a supporter of The Weinstein Company, and when she won a Golden Globe award for The Iron Lady, she even thanked "Harvey Weinstein," listing him next to "God" in her acceptance speech. Other Weinstein Company films she has participated in include August: Osage County and The Giver. Meryl Streep went further in her statement to explain how she feels about championing a person who is now alleged to have many problems in his dealings with ladies.
The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported. The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes.
Harvey Weinstein has been accused of a variety of offenses, including asking employees for massages. Celebrities like Ashley Judd have also come forward, and Judd has alleged that Harvey Weinstein made overt sexual advances to her when she was filming Kiss The Girls. Even more recently, reporter Lauren Sivan told a story about how she went to a Cuban restaurant with Weinstein in 2007, where he proceeded to try and kiss her. When she stated she had a boyfriend, he reportedly masturbated into a potted plant in front of her.
As noted prior, Harvey Weinstein has been fired from his position with The Weinstein Company for misconduct, and the studio will undoubtedly have to work to pick itself back up in the wake of the allegations. We'll keep you updated as more news breaks.
