Oprah, Viola Davis and Blake Lively call out Harvey Weinstein

October 20, 2017

For more than twenty years, sexual harassment complaints have followed Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein. Now, the allegations are finally being addressed.

A long list of celebrities have spoken out against the film mogul after an Oct. 5 New York Times exposé revealed years of sexual harassment accusations. Actress Ashley Judd was the first to speak out about her experience, which was followed by a wave of celebrities standing up for his victims.

The 65-year-old has admitted to abusing women, but credited his behaviour to having grown up during a time when, according to him, office practices were much different.

Following the expose, Harvey was fired from The Weinstein Company after pleas to board members were denied.

Click through to read the statements from stars like Kate Winslet, George Clooney, Julianne Moore.

Photo: © Getty

Lupita Nyong'o

"Harvey led me into a bedroom — his bedroom — and announced that he wanted to give me a massage. I thought he was joking at first. He was not. For the first time since I met him, I felt unsafe. I panicked a little and thought quickly to offer to give him one instead: It would allow me to be in control physically, to know exactly where his hands were at all times.

Part of our drama school curriculum at Yale included body work, using massage techniques on one another to understand the connection between body, mind and emotion, and so I felt I could rationalize giving him one and keep a semblance of professionalism in spite of the bizarre circumstance. He agreed to this and lay on the bed. I began to massage his back to buy myself time to figure out how to extricate myself from this undesirable situation. Before long he said he wanted to take off his pants. I told him not to do that and informed him that it would make me extremely uncomfortable. He got up anyway to do so and I headed for the door, saying that I was not at all comfortable with that. 'If we’re not going to watch the film, I really should head back to school,' I said.

I opened the door and stood by the frame. He put his shirt on and again mentioned how stubborn I was. I agreed with an easy laugh, trying to get myself out of the situation safely. I was after all on his premises, and the members of his household, the potential witnesses, were all (strategically, it seems to me now) in a soundproof room." (via New York Times)

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Channing Tatum

"The brave women who had the courage to stand up and speak their truth about Harvey Weinstein are true heroes to us. They are lifting the heavy bricks to build the equitable world we all deserve to live in. Our lone project in development with TWC— Matthew Quick’s brilliant book, Forgive Me Leonard Peacock— is a story about a boy whose life was torn asunder by sexual abuse. While we will no longer develop it or anything else that is property of TWC, we are reminded of its powerful message of healing in the wake of tragedy. This is a giant opportunity for real positive change that we proudly commit ourselves to. The truth is out— let’s finish what our incredible colleagues started and eliminate abuse from our creative culture once and for all."

(via Facebook)

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Lena Headey

“The first time I met Harvey Weinstein was at The Venice Film Festival. The Brothers Grimm was showing there, (during shooting I was subjected to endless bullying by the director Terry Gilliam). At one point Harvey asked me to take a walk down to the water, I walked down with him and he stopped and made some suggestive comment, a gesture, I just laughed it off, I was genuinely shocked. I remember thinking, ‘It’s got to be a joke.’ I said something like, ‘Oh come on mate?! It’d be like kissing my dad! Let’s go get a drink, get back to the others.’ I was never in any other Miramax film.

The next time was in LA. Years later. I had always carried the thought that he’d never try anything with me again, not after I’d laughed and said, ‘never in a million years.’ I believed that he respected my boundary and maybe he wanted to talk about potential work. He asked me to meet for breakfast. We ate breakfast, we talked about films, filmmaking. He asked me a few questions about the state of my love life. I shifted the conversation back to something less personal. Then he went to the loo. He came back and said, ‘Let’s go up to the room, I want to give you a script.’ We walked to the lift and the energy shifted. My whole body went into high alert. The lift was going up and I said to Harvey, ‘I’m not interested in anything other than work, please don’t think I got in here with your any other reason, nothing is going to happen.’ I don’t know what possessed me to speak out at that moment, only that I had such a strong sense of ‘don’t come near me.'

He was silent after I spoke, furious. We got out of the lift and walked to his room. His hand was on my back, he was marching me forward, not a word. I felt completely powerless, he tried his key card and it didn’t work. Then he got really angry. He walked me back to the lift, through the hotel to the valet, by grabbing and holding tightly to the back of my arm. He paid for my car and whispered in my ear, ‘Don’t tell anyone about this, not your manager, not your agent.’ I got into my car and I cried." (via Twitter)

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<h4>Catherine Zeta-Jones</h4>
“I hope that the fall from grace that this man has had — you’re never too big to fail — is a lesson to all those who have questioned if this behavior is acceptable.... I think the attention is due and I really believe that if this is not the tipping point, it’s at least some kind of turning point.

That big old dinosaur of people who think a man is able to get away with that behavior and has been getting away with it for years, is extinct as of now.”
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<h4>Oprah Winfrey</h4>

<p>"I’ve been processing the accounts of Harvey Weinstein’s hideous behavior and haven’t been able to find the words to articulate the magnitude of the situation. Filmmaker James Schamus captured so much of what I’ve been feeling when he said:

<p>'This is the story of one predator and his many victims; but it is also a story about an overwhelming systemic enabling, and until that story is fully told we will fall far short of stopping future depredations on a similar scale.'

<p>Thanks to the brave voices we’ve heard this week, many more will now be emboldened to come forward EVERY time this happens. I believe a shift is coming." (via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/posts/10155817581027220">Facebook</a>)

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<h4>Viola Davis</h4>

<p>"The predator wants your silence. It feeds their power, entitlement AND they want it to feed your shame. Our bodies are not the ‘spoils of war’… a trophy to be collected to fuel your ego. It’s OURS!!! It doesn’t belong to you!! And when you take it without permission, it DESTROYS…… like a virus!!!

<p>To the predators.. Weinstein, the stranger, the relative, the boyfriend…. 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." (via <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/viola-davis-harvey-weinstein-sexual-harassment-1202586232/"><i>Variety</i></a>)

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<h4>Angelina Jolie</h4>

<p>“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. This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.” (via <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/us/gwyneth-paltrow-angelina-jolie-harvey-weinstein.html"><i>New York Times</i></a>)

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<h4>Blake Lively</h4>

<p>"That was never my experience with Harvey in any way whatsoever, and I think that if people heard these stories...I do believe in humanity enough to think that this wouldn't have just continued. I never heard any stories like this—I never heard anything specific—but it's devastating to hear." (via <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/rambling-reporter/blake-lively-addresses-harvey-weinstein-allegations-devastating-hear-1047599"><i>The Hollywood Reporter</i></a>)

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<h4>Gwyneth Paltrow</h4>

<p>Gwyneth disclosed to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/us/gwyneth-paltrow-angelina-jolie-harvey-weinstein.html"><i>New York Times</i></a> that, after being hired for a role in <i>Emma</i> at 22-years-old, Harvey suggested they go to a bedroom for massages, "I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified." She then confided in her then-boyfriend Brad Pitt, who confronted Harvey. His producer warned Gwyneth not to tell anyone else, "I thought he was going to fire me," she said to the publication.

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Kate Winslet

“The fact that these women are starting to speak out about the gross misconduct of one of our most important and well regarded film producers is incredibly brave and has been deeply shocking to hear. The way Harvey Weinstein has treated these vulnerable, talented young women is NOT the way women should ever EVER deem to be acceptable or commonplace in ANY workplace.

I have no doubt that for these women this time has been, and continues to be extremely traumatic. I fully embrace and salute their profound courage, and I unequivocally support this level of very necessary exposure of someone who has behaved in reprehensible and disgusting ways. His behaviour is without question disgraceful and appalling and very, very wrong. I had hoped that these kind of stories were just made up rumours, maybe we have all been naïve. And it makes me so angry. There must be ‘no tolerance’ of this degrading, vile treatment of women in ANY workplace anywhere in the world." (via Variety)

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<h4>George Clooney</h4>

<p>"It’s indefensible. That’s the only word you can start with. Harvey’s admitted to it, and it’s indefensible. I’ve known Harvey for 20 years. He gave me my first big break as an actor in films on From Dusk Till Dawn, he gave me my first big break as a director with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. 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." (via <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/george-clooney-speaks-out-on-harvey-weinstein-its-disturbing-on-a-whole-lot-of-levels"><i>The Daily Beast</i></a>)</p>

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<h4>Julianne Moore</h4>

<p>“Coming forward about sexual abuse and coercion is scary and women have nothing to be gained by personally doing so. But through their bravery we move forward as a culture and I think them. Stand with @AshleyJudd @rosemcgowan and others.” (via <a href="https://twitter.com/_juliannemoore/status/917400026120323072">Twitter</a>)</p>

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<h4>Meryl Streep</h4>

<p>“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.” (via <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/meryl-streep-harvey-weinstein_us_59db5d87e4b072637c45420e"><i>Huffington Post</i></a>)</p>

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<h4>Judi Dench</h4>

<p>"Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offences which are, of course, horrifying, and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out." (via <a href="http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/kate-winslet-more-stars-speak-out-against-harvey-weinstein-w507944/judi-dench-w507960">a statement</a>)</p>

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<h4>Jennifer Lawrence</h4>

<p>"I was deeply disturbed to hear the news about Harvey Weinstein’s behavior. I worked with Harvey five years ago and I did not experience any form of harassment personally, nor did I know about any of these allegations. This kind of abuse is inexcusable and absolutely upsetting. 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." (via <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/jennifer-lawrence-condemns-harvey-weinstein-my-heart-goes-out-to-all-of-the-women-1202585437/"><i>Variety</i></a>)</p>

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<h4>Olivia Wilde</h4>

<p>"Let's be clear. What Harvey Weinstein did to those women was nothing short of abuse. I am disturbed, and disgusted. It's appalling Though I never witnessed it, I stand in solidarity with his victims, and hope their bravery sends a loud message to all abusers of power. The victim blaming needs to stop. As does the shaming of women who didn't come forward earlier. They spoke, and we are here to listen." (via <a href="https://twitter.com/oliviawilde/status/917567041300762624">Twitter</a>)</p>

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<h4>Jessica Chastain</h4>

<p>“I was warned from the beginning. The stories were everywhere. To deny that is to create an environment for it to happen again.” (via <a href="https://twitter.com/jes_chastain/status/917504541708443650">Twitter</a>)</p>

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<h4>Mark Ruffalo</h4>

<p>"To be clear what Harvey Weinstein did was a disgusting abuse of power and horrible. I hope we are now seeing the beginning of the end of these abuses." (via <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/917135725610491905">Twitter</a>)</p>

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<h4>Kevin Smith (<i>Clerks</i>)</h4>

<p>“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.” (via <a href="https://twitter.com/ThatKevinSmith/status/917415980430708737">Twitter</a>)</p>

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<h4>Lena Dunham</h4>

“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. But here we are, days later, waiting for Mr. Weinstein’s most powerful collaborators to say something. Anything. It wouldn’t be just a gift to the women he has victimized, but a message to the women who are watching our industry closely. They need a signal that we do not approve of the abuse of power and hatred of women that is the driving force behind this kind of behaviour.” (via <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/opinion/harvey-weinstein-lena-dunham-silence-.html"><i>New York Times</i></a>)

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<h4>Amber Tamblyn</h4>

<p>“Mr. Weinstein, I would have the upmost respect for you if you did this. The beginning of all healing is the truth. Let them speak. Please stop holding actresses and women accountable for these silences and shaming them for not coming forward immediately. Stop.” (via <a href="https://twitter.com/ambertamblyn/status/916688670068957184">Twitter</a>)</p>

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<h4>America Ferrera</h4>

<p>“This abuse of power must be called out, however powerful the abuser, and we must publicly stand with those brave enough to come forward.” (via <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericaFerrera/status/916096832962359296">Twitter</a>)</p>

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Glenn Close

“I’m sitting here, deeply upset, acknowledging to myself that, yes, for many years, I have been aware of the vague rumors that Harvey Weinstein had a pattern of behaving inappropriately around women. Harvey has always been decent to me, but now that the rumors are being substantiated, I feel angry and darkly sad.

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: the horrible pressure, the awful expectation put on a woman when a powerful, egotistical, entitled bully expects sexual favors in exchange for a job. Ours is an industry in which very few actors are indispensable and women are cast in far fewer roles than men, so the stakes are higher for women and make them more vulnerable to the manipulations of a predator. I applaud the monumental courage of the women who have spoken up. I hope that their stories and the reportage that gave them their voices represents a tipping point, that more stories will be told and that change will follow.

The changes must be both institutional and personal. Men and women, in positions of power, must create a work environment in which people, whose jobs depend on them, feel safe to report threatening and inappropriate behavior, like that reported in the Times. No one should be coerced into trading personal dignity for professional success. I feel the time is long and tragically overdue for all of us in the industry, women and men, to unite — calmly and dispassionately — and create a new culture of respect, equality and empowerment, where bullies and their enablers are no longer allowed to prosper.” (via New York Times)

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Charlize Theron

"The women who have spoken about their abuse are brave and heroic and although I didn't have a personal experience like this with Harvey Weinstein, I unfortunately cannot say I'm surprised. This culture has always existed, not just in Hollywood but across the world. And many men in positions of power have gotten away with it for far too long.

We cannot blame the victims here. A lot of these women are young, just starting out in their respective fields, and have absolutely no way to stand up to a man with so much influence, much greater than theirs. If they speak up, they are shut down, and that could be the end of their career.

This is all a positive step forward in changing that culture, and these young women need to know that they have a support system should anything like this happen to them. And I want you all to know I support you." (via Instagram)

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<h4>Benedict Cumberbatch</h4>

<p>In a <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2017/10/10/benedict-cumberbatch-brands-harvey-weinsteins-actions-horrifying-and-unforgivable-6990923/">statement</a> made by his representatives, Benedict said, "I am utterly disgusted by the continuing revelations of Harvey Weinstein’s horrifying and unforgivable actions. We need to collectively stand up and support victims of abuse such as the brave and inspiring women who have spoken out against him and say we hear you and believe you. That way 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. We, as an industry and as a society at large need to play our part. There has to be zero tolerance of any such behaviour in any walk of life. We owe that to these woman’s bravery in coming forward."

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<b>Cate Blanchett</b>

“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. It is never easy for a woman to come forward in such situations and I wholeheartedly support those who have." (via <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/cate-blanchett-harvey-weinstein-scandal-1202586491/"><i>Variety</i></a>)

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“It’s with a feeling of nausea that I read what was going on while I was benefiting from Harvey Weinstein’s support. 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. By coming forward they’ve provided a jolting wake up throughout our industry. I hope it’s going to be a help to others, both in our own industry and elsewhere.” (via <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/oct/10/colin-firth-harvey-weinstein-kings-speech-sexual-harassment-claims"><i>The Guardian</i></a>)

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