Meryl Streep Slams Harvey Weinstein in Blistering Statement
Last week, the New York Times published a lengthy investigative piece detailing decades of sexual harassment and abuse by Hollywood film titan Harvey Weinstein. On Sunday, the Weinstein Company announced the disgraced producer has been ousted from the studio he helped found, “effective immediately,” according to a report by Variety.
Weinstein’s abrupt fall from grace after nearly 30 years as one of the media’s most powerful players is precisely the outcome sexual predators should face. While conservative pundits, politicians and outlets—including the white-nationalist Breitbart—disingenuously attempt to make Weinstein’s donations to Democratic politicians an issue, the studio head’s colleagues are publicly denouncing his actions.
Among them is Meryl Streep, who worked with Weinstein on numerous high-profile projects over the years, and once playfully referred to him as “god.” In a statement released to Huffington Post, Streep calls the women who came forward to call out Weinstein “heroes.” The actress also suggests she was unaware of his actions, stating that “not everybody knew.”
The statement in its entirety is below:
“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.
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.
The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar. Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”
[h/t Huffington Post]
