Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been facing a barrage of accusations from former women employees and actresses, now has Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie speaking up about the harassment they faced from him when they were starting out.
Further, in an exclusive investigative report carried out by The New Yorker, Ronan Farrow spoke to 13 women who have alleged sexual assault and harassment by movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
“The story, however, is more complex, and there is more to know and to understand. In the course of a ten-month investigation, I was told by thirteen women that, between the nineteen-nineties and 2015, Weinstein sexually harassed or assaulted them, allegations that corroborate and overlap with the Times’ revelations, and also include far more serious claims:” the report stated.
According to the report, three women even alleged that Weinstein raped them and forced them to perform or receive oral and vaginal sex. The latest expose could get Weinstein under serious legal trouble.
Paltrow said that she was summoned to his hotel suite, where he placed his hands on her and suggested massages in his bedroom. This was when she was filming for Emma in 1996.
“I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified,” she said in an interview. She admits to refusing his advances, and telling her then-boyfriend, Brad Pitt about it. She was warned not to tell anyone else about this. “I thought he was going to fire me,” she said.
Angelina Jolie, too, in an email-interview, said that she too faced faced harassment from Hollywood’s top producer. “I had a bad experience with Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did. This behaviour towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.”
Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle too, added their voice to the growing demonstrations of public outrage against the movie-maker. Weinstein had donated a lot of money towards the former president’s campaigns.
A statement released by the Obamas said they “have been disgusted by the recent reports about Weinstein”. It added that they “celebrate the courage of women who have come forward”.
The Obamas release a statement on Harvey Weinstein: pic.twitter.com/izktkIEkxC
— Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) October 10, 2017
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Read: The Women Of Hollywood Speak Against Harvey Weinstein, But What’s Stopping The Men?
Meanwhile, Weinstein’s wife, Georgina Chapman, has left him amid the sex scandal. “My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions,” fashion designer Chapman told People magazine on Tuesday.
“I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority and I ask the media for privacy at this time.”
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Weinstein said: “I support her decision, I am in counselling and perhaps, when I am better, we can rebuild. Over the last week, there has been a lot of pain for my family that I take responsibility for,” Pagesix quoted Weinstein as saying.
“I sat down with my wife Georgina, who I love more than anything, and we discussed what was best for our family. We discussed the possibility of a separation and I encouraged her to do what was in her heart. I understand, I love her and I love our children and hopefully, when I am better, I will be in their lives again,” he added.
The couple has been married since 2007 and they have two children.
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Since last week, a small army of women have begun coming forward as they chronicled decades of boorish sexual harassment by the powerful Hollywood producer.
Weinstein, 65, admitted to bad behaviour – and said Chapman, 41, was sticking by him. “She stands 100 per cent behind me,” Weinstein told The Post as the scandal erupted. “Georgina and I have talked about this at length.”
Weinstein has five children, between four and 22. His kids with Chapman are India Pearl Weinstein, 7, and Dashiell Weinstein, 4.
On a similar note on Monday, Apple decided to terminate a deal with the Weinstein Company for an Elvis Presley biopic series in light of the sexual harassment charges.
(With inputs from IANS)
Feature Image: Pinterest/The Sun/CNN