❮
❯
VIRAL EXCLUSIVE
Nov. 27, 2023
The Weinstein Fallout: From Hollywood Mogul to MeToo Movement Catalyst
Following the exposure of numerous sexual-abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, the movement began to spread virally as a hashtag on social media. By: Wee Yan Ling
Harvey Weinstein was indeed a prominent figure in the film industry. He was a co-founder of Miramax, an entertainment company that produced several successful independent films, including Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), The Crying Game (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), Heavenly Creatures (1994), Flirting with Disaster (1996), and Shakespeare in Love (1998). He won an Academy Award for producing Shakespeare in Love and also won seven Tony Awards for plays and musicals including The Producers, Billy Elliot the Musical, and August: Osage County.
Weinstein and his brother Bob founded Miramax in 1979, selling it in 1993 to the Walt Disney Co for $80 million. (Disney later sold Miramax.) The men stayed on until 2005, when they left to start the Weinstein Company.
However, his empire has crumbled after his reputation as a sex predator has come to light. The jury has acquitted him with two most serious charges, predatory sexual assault.
Weinstein’s career came to a halt when he was accused of sexual abuse allegations dating back to the late 1970s. More than 80 women made allegations of sexual harassment or rape against him by October 31, 2017. The allegations sparked the MeToo social media campaign and subsequent sexual abuse allegations against many powerful men around the world; this phenomenon is referred to as the “Weinstein effect”.
Following the exposure of numerous sexual-abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, the movement began to spread virally as a hashtag on social media. The movement has led to high-profile terminations from positions held, as well as criticism and backlash. After millions of people started using the phrase and hashtag in this manner in English, the expression began to spread to dozens of other languages.
An investigation by The New York Times found previously undisclosed allegations against Mr. Weinstein stretched over nearly three decades, documented through interviews with current and former employees and film industry workers, as well as legal records, emails and internal documents from the businesses he has run, Miramax and the Weinstein Company.
Renowned actresses have spoken up about being victims of Weinstein. The list includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Asia Argento, Ashly Judd, Rose McGowan, Kate Beckinsale and many, many more to name.
Kate Beckinsale recounted, "A few years later he asked me if he had tried anything with me in that first meeting. I realised he couldn't remember if he had assaulted me or not. I had what I thought were boundaries — I said no to him professionally many times over the years, some of which ended up with him screaming at me calling me a c--- and making threats, some of which made him laughingly tell people, 'Kate lives to say no to me.'"
Asia Argento had also said that she did not dare to speak out even after Weinstei had forced oral sex on her as "I know he has crushed a lot of people before." Weinstein "terrified me, and he was so big," she said. "It wouldn't stop. It was a nightmare."
Weinstein was arrested and charged with rape in New York in May 2018, and was found guilty of two of five felonies in February 2020. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison and began serving his sentence at Wende Correctional Facility. On July 20, 2021, he was extradited to Los Angeles to face further charges at a subsequent trial, where he was found guilty of three of seven charges on December 19, 2022. He was sentenced to 16 years in the Los Angeles trial, and his California prison term must be served separately from his New York sentence.
To never miss a story — sign up for Viral Weekly free newsletter to stay up-to-date with compelling TV and Film news and views.
