These Celebrities Are Speaking Out Against Harvey Weinstein

"His behaviour is without question disgraceful and appalling and very, very wrong," Kate Winslet said.

By
Krystie Lee Yandoli
by Krystie Lee Yandoli

BuzzFeed News Reporter

On Thursday, Oct. 5, the New York Times published a story about Harvey Weinstein, a longtime Hollywood producer, alleging he's been sexually harassing women for decades.

Alexander Koerner / Getty Images

Weinstein sent the Times a statement, which included: "I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it."

But later, one of Weinstein's lawyers said he's preparing to sue the Times for their "reckless" reporting. "It relies on mostly hearsay accounts and a faulty report, apparently stolen from an employee personnel file, which has been debunked by 9 different eyewitnesses," Weinstein's attorney, Charles Harder, said in a statement. "We sent the Times the facts and evidence, but they ignored it and rushed to publish."

And on Tuesday, Oct. 10, the New Yorker published an article detailing multiple allegations of rape and additional alleged instances of sexual harassment. A representative for Weinstein said he "unequivocally denied" allegations of non-consensual sex; he also said he had never retaliated against a woman for declining his advances. The same day, the New York Times followed up its story with more allegations as well, including some from A-list actors.

Alexander Koerner / Getty Images

Weinstein has been fired from The Weinstein Company, which he cofounded, and his wife announced she's separating from him.

Yann Coatsaliou / AFP / Getty Images

The news has sparked a lot of conversation about who knew about Weinstein's reported behavior and about sexual harassment in Hollywood.

Andrew Kelly / Reuters

On Oct. 10, the board of The Weinstein Company released a statement in response to the allegations outlined by The New Yorker, saying they "are shocked and dismayed by the recently emerged allegations of extreme sexual misconduct and sexual assault by Harvey Weinstein. These alleged actions are antithetical to human decency. These allegations come as an utter surprise to the Board. Any suggestion that the Board had knowledge of this conduct is false."

Here's a running list of celebrities who have strongly spoken out about the allegations against Weinstein, as well as the celebrities who've worked with him and spoken publicly:

1. Quentin Tarantino

Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

Overnight on Oct. 13, director Quentin Tarantino released a short statement about Weinstein, who produced all of Tarantino's films, starting with Pulp Fiction in 1994. The director asked Amber Tamblyn to share his statement on Twitter after "a long dinner" together.

"For the last week I've been stunned and heartbroken about the revelations that have come to light about my friend for 25 years Harvey Weinstein," he wrote. "I need a few more days to process my pain, emotions, anger and memory and then I will speak publicly about it."

2. Holly Hunter

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter gave a statement to Deadline on Oct. 13 about the allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Hunter, who starred in The Piano, a film distributed by Miramax, said that the allegations "both sadden and infuriate me."

"I had nothing but a professional relationship with him during the release of The Piano," she continued. "He was an extreme personality, but in no way was I knowledgeable of his inappropriate and assaultive sexual activities. This particular kind of culture within the film industry—and within virtually every other walk of life you can name—must be eradicated.

To take advantage of that kind of power over another person is the lowest of the low. The destruction is deep and lasting. I join my community in standing by these courageous women."

3. Oprah Winfrey

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

Oprah Winfrey posted a statement about the now-ousted exec on her Facebook page on Oct. 12, that she's 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." Winfrey was a producer while Weinstein was an executive producer on the 2007 film The Great Debaters, and she was an actor in the Weinstein Company-distributed "Lee Daniels' The Butler."

Winfrey furthermore quoted James Schamus from the Hollywood Reporter:

"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."

She finished: "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."

4. Ryan Gosling

Sebastian Reuter / Getty Images

On Oct. 12, Ryan Gosling tweeted a statement about the allegations against Weinstein.

"Like most people in Hollywood, I have worked with him and I'm deeply disappointed in myself for being so oblivious to these devastating experiences of sexual harassment and abuse," he wrote. "He is emblematic of a systemic problem. Men should stand with women and work together until there is real accountability and change."

5. Julia Roberts

Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images

On Thursday, Oct. 12, Julia Roberts — who starred in the 2013 Weinstein Company film, August: Osage County — released a statement to People about the allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

“A corrupt, powerful man wields his influence to abuse and manipulate women. We’ve heard this infuriating, heartbreaking story countless times before. And now here we go again," she said. "I stand firm in the hope that we will finally come together as a society to stand up against this kind of predatory behavior, to help victims find their voices and their healing, and to stop it once and for all."

6. Penélope Cruz

Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images

Cruz, who won an Oscar for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which was produced by The Weinstein Company, released the following statement on Oct. 12: "The stories that came out over the last few days about Harvey Weinstein have left me feeling extremely sad and shocked. Obviously I didn’t know that side of him. We have worked together on different films and even if he has been respectful to me and I personally have never witnessed such behavior, I need to express my support to the women that have had such horrible experiences. They have shown great bravery by talking. That kind of abuse of power is absolutely unacceptable. We all, women and men, need to teach future generations about the power of respect and support for one another."

7. Robert Rodriguez

Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images

Robert Rodriguez, who was worked with Weinstein on the majority of his films, including Machete and Spy Kids, condemned Harvey Weinstein in a statement to BuzzFeed News.

"I find the behavior of Harvey Weinsten truly disgusting, both what he did and how he covered his tracks, and it makes me wonder how many others can't come forward and tell their full story because of legal and personal intimidation," Rodriguez said. "His repulsive behavior was an abuse of power. Thankfully, he's now discovering what true power is."

8. Tamron Hall

Paras Griffin / Getty Images

Tamron Hall, who recently signed a deal to develop a daytime talk show with The Weinstein Company, told the Huffington Post that she called Harvey Weinstein at 5:00 in the morning after hearing of the allegations. She said Weinstein apologized to her and that he's seeking help.

“It’s a woman’s worst nightmare to be in a situation where you believe someone more powerful has control over your life,” she said.

“I immediately thought about the women who have suffered in silence and were paralyzed by fear; fear that I’ve seen with domestic violence survivors; fear that I’ve seen when I interviewed women who were raped on their college campuses.”

9. David Thewlis

Rachel Murray / Getty Images

David Thewlis, who is best known for his role as Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter series, said in an exclusive statement to BuzzFeed News, "Men like this who equate fame and power with the right to degrade women should be unequivocally condemned, shamed and be seen to suffer the consequences."

Thewlis worked with Weinstein on Regression and Macbeth, both in 2015.

10. Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane @SethMacFarlane

Reply Retweet Favorite

Seth MacFarlane, who famously made a joke about Harvey Weinstein at the 2013 Oscar nominations, tweeted his response to the allegations on Wednesday, Oct. 11. He said that his friend Jessica Barth confided in him regularly about his behavior.

"It was with this account in mind that, when I hosted the Oscars in 2013, I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a hard swing in his direction," MacFarlane wrote. "Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger."

11. Blake Lively

Angela Weiss / AFP / Getty Images

Blake Lively, who hasn't appeared in any Weinstein Company films, told The Hollywood Reporter on Oct. 11 that she never experienced harassment from Weinstein and that she never heard stories of harassment from other women.

"I never heard any stories like this — I never heard anything specific — but it’s devastating to hear," she said.

"It's important that women are furious right now. It's important that there is an uprising. It's important that we don't stand for this and that we don’t focus on one or two or three or four stories, it's important that we focus on humanity in general and say, 'This is unacceptable.' "

12. Chloë Sevigny

Tiziana Fabi / AFP / Getty Images

Chloë Sevigny, who appeared in the 1995 film Kids which was produced by Weinstein, told BuzzFeed News in an exclusive statement that she believes the culture around sexual harassment in Hollywood needs to change.

“Fortunately for me, I never had a problem with Harvey Weinstein, but of course that has not been the case for so many women over the years," she said. "This behavior and casting couch culture needs to stop! Every woman speaking her truth, and every person who supports that woman, will help that change."

13. Cate Blanchett

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Cate Blanchett — who's appeared in a number of films made by The Weinstein Company, most notably the Academy Award-nominated Carol — released a statement to BuzzFeed News on Oct. 10 about the allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

"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," she wrote. "It is never easy for a woman to come forward in such situations and I wholeheartedly support those who have."

14. Ryan Coogler

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

Ryan Coogler, who directed The Weinstein Company's Fruitvale Station, released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, Oct. 10 about the allegations against Weinstein.

"I am disturbed and saddened at the news that several women have been victimized by a person I had come to know through the purchase of my first feature film. While I had no further business dealings with Harvey Weinstein, and no knowledge of this predatory behavior, my career did benefit from this brief involvement. Because of that, I feel a responsibility to speak up on this issue," he said.

"I love working as a storyteller. But I work in an industry that too many times has proven to not be a safe space for women. I make it a priority to ensure that there is gender equity and an inclusive work environment on every project I am involved with. However, just minding our business sometimes isn’t enough. It goes without saying, but I will state it now: Sexual harassment is a human rights violation, sexual assault is a human rights violation, rape is a human rights violation.

The entertainment industry, like many others, has a historic imbalance of power among gender that allows these violations to run rampant. As men we sit in positions of privilege. It is our responsibility to leverage our position, and be allies to the women in our industry. We need to do everything we can to make sure violations like these don’t continue to happen. The first step is to listen. Salute to the brave women who came forward. I could never imagine how difficult that must be."

15. John Madden

Robin Marchant / Getty Images

John Madden — who directed Miramax's Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love — spoke out against Harvey Weinstein in an exclusive statement to BuzzFeed News.

"The recent revelations about Harvey Weinstein’s behaviour in the New York Times, the New Yorker and elsewhere deserve total condemnation," Madden wrote. "For those of us who have worked with him, they are shaming and unforgiveable. I applaud the women who have been brave enough to share their testimony of profoundly damaging and deeply abusive experiences."

16. Leonardo DiCaprio

Mike Windle / Getty Images

"There is no excuse for sexual harassment or sexual assault — no matter who you are and no matter what profession," DiCaprio, who starred in Weinstein's Gangs of New York, said in a statement on his Facebook page. "I applaud the strength and courage of the women who came forward and made their voices heard."

17. Viola Davis

Christopher Polk

“The predator wants your silence. It feeds their power, entitlement AND they want it to feed your shame," Davis, who appeared in the Weinstein-produced Kate & Leopold, wrote in a statement to Variety. “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!!! 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."

18. Jeffrey Katzenberg

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Katzenberg, the former chairman of Walt Disney Studios and CEO of DreamWorks Animation, has been a longtime friend of Weinstein's — he also bought Weinstein's Miramax on behalf of Disney in 1993. Katzenberg was among the people who received an email from Weinstein on Sunday, pleading with them to support him publicly. Katzenberg responded to the email, which he provided the Hollywood Reporter:

"Hey Harvey, Here is the bottom line. You stated in your email below that 'A lot of the allegations are false as you know.' Well actually I don’t 'know' and given the timing of the circumstances, I have no way of knowing.

However, you yourself, in your quotes, have acknowledged that you have behaved inappropriately…so it seems to me we are now down to degrees of horrible.

You have done terrible things to a number of women over a period of years.

I cannot in any way say this is OK with me…It’s not at all, and I am sickened by it, angry with you and incredibly disappointed in you.

There appear to be two Harvey Weinsteins…one that I have known well, appreciated and admired and another that I have not known at all.

As someone who has been a friend of yours for 30 years, I’m available to give you advice on how to at least try to make amends, if possible address those that you’ve wronged, and just possibly find a path to heal and redeem yourself. Having watched your reactions, seen the actions you have taken and read your statement, I will tell you, in my opinion, you have gone about this all wrong and you are continuing to make a horrible set of circumstances even worse.

I doubt this is what you want to hear from me and most likely you aren’t interested in my advice but this is the way I see it. I remain available. JK."

19. Colin Firth

Han Myung-gu / Getty Images

In a statement to The Guardian on Oct. 10, Colin Firth condemned the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, saying he felt nauseous as he learned about the alleged harassment and assault while he 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," said Firth, who appeared in Weinstein's The King's Speech. "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.”

20. Rebecca Hall

Jack Taylor / Getty Images

Rebecca Hall, who has appeared in Weinstein Company films like Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Lay the Favorite, told IndieWire on Oct. 10 that she was well aware of the rumors about Harvey Weinstein's behavior towards women. She even said that at times, her representatives "protected" her from Weinstein.

"I certainly was never allowed near a meeting with him on my own, and anything like that. In retrospect, I understand why, even if my representatives weren’t explicitly telling me," she said.

“I wholeheartedly stand behind the women who are coming out and saying what they’re saying now, it’s incredibly hard to do that, and the idea that it could be in any way for their gains is preposterous," Hall continued. "I think what’s going to happen in the next couple of days is interesting and I think he deserves what is coming. It’s indefensible how he’s behaved, it is. I think it’s inexcusable, and I am behind those women.”

21. Benedict Cumberbatch

Tim P. Whitby / Getty Images

On Oct. 10, Benedict Cumberbatch — who stars in the upcoming Weinstein Company movie The Current War — told BuzzFeed News in a statement that he's "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," he said. "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."

22. Charlize Theron

Gianluigi Guercia / AFP / Getty Images

Charlize Theron, who's appeared in multiple Weinstein movies, told BuzzFeed News in an exclusive statement that she's unsurprised to hear the news about allegations against Weinstein.

"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," Theron said in her statement.

"And many men in positions of power have gotten away with it for far too long. And we cannot blame the victims here. A lot of these women are young and just starting out in their respective fields, and have absolutely no way to stand up to a man with such greater influence than them. 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’m here to support you."

23. Mark Ruffalo

Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

Mark Ruffalo first tweeted about Harvey Weinstein on Oct. 8, saying, "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."

And on Oct. 10, while promoting Thor: Ragnarok, Ruffalo, who's appeared in two Weinstein films, continued to speak about the alleged harassment.

"It's wrong whether it's a president, it's wrong whether it's Harvey Weinstein, it's wrong whoever's doing this shit," he said to Channel 4 News. "And we have to stand up for it and stand behind the women who have to deal with this in a system that basically for years has been in place and they've had to negotiate it."

"That shit can't stand," he continued. "And we have to call it out, even if it's in our own community.

24. Jeff Bridges

Valerie Macon / AFP / Getty Images

While doing press for his new film, Only the Brave, Jeff Bridges addressed the sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

"It was a terrible thing he did," he told the Associated Press. "I wish him the best, struggling with his demons. But his behavior was terrible."

Bridges appeared in Weinstein's 2014 movie The Giver.

25. Minnie Driver

Valerie Macon / AFP / Getty Images

Minnie Driver, who was nominated for an Oscar in 1997 for her role in Good Will Hunting — a film distributed by Weinstein's Miramax — spoke out against the Hollywood producer on Oct. 10.

“In light of the revelations about Harvey Weinstein in the past few days, I feel it necessary to add my support for the women who have been victimized and have been brave enough to talk about it,” the actor told Variety in a statement. “While I never experienced any abuse while working with Harvey, I think it’s important to add my voice to those of women everywhere who have experienced abuse at the hands of powerful men.”

26. Nicole Kidman

Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images

On Oct. 10, Academy Award-winning actor Nicole Kidman gave a statement to People about the Weinstein allegations. Kidman has worked on a number of projects with The Weinstein Company, most recently the 2016 film Lion.

“As I’ve stated before publicly, I support and applaud all women and these women who speak out against any abuse and misuse of power — be it domestic violence or sexual harassment in the workforce,” she said. “We need to eradicate this behavior.”

27. Gretchen Mol

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

On Oct. 10, actor Gretchen Mol — who appeared in Weinstein's 1998 movie Rounders — published a guest column in The Hollywood Reporter, calling Weinstein's alleged behavior "shameless" and "inexcusable."

"This kind of abuse of women is grossly familiar, and for many of us, it’s hard to muster up surprise," she wrote. "I feel deeply for the women who had to deal with and navigate his incredibly entitled, bullying, revolting and inexcusable behavior."

Mol also said there had been rumors for about ten years about her having a "transactional relationship" with Weinstein, but those rumors are false.

"I had always taken some small comfort that the rumors about me were a very trivial needle lost in the haystack of toxic misinformation on the internet, until The New York Times called. I spoke with Ms. Kantor and, later, Ronan Farrow, whose devastating piece I just read in The New Yorker. I knew my account wouldn’t make it to print; it’s not newsworthy," she wrote.

"But the omission would cause the rumors to persist and deepen. People will believe what they want to believe, but I now feel compelled to answer publicly: No. I did not exchange sexual favors with Harvey Weinstein, or anyone, for advancement in my career ... This is in no way a defense of this person, it is merely a statement of fact."

28. Ben Affleck‏

Ben Affleck @BenAffleck

Reply Retweet Favorite

After The New Yorker published its story on Weinstein on Oct. 10 and revealed that multiple women allege he sexually assaulted them, Ben Affleck, who famously worked with Weinstein on Good Will Hunting, tweeted: "I am saddened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades. The additional allegations of assault that I read this morning made me sick. This is completely unacceptable."

29. James Gunn

Christian Petersen / Getty Images

On Oct. 8, Gunn — who directed Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014 — tweeted, "If even 1/10th of the stories about Harvey Weinstein are true (and I believe they are), then good fucking riddance. That shit’s gotta stop."

The director, who has not worked with Weinstein, also published a lengthy Facebook post on Oct. 9 titled, "On Sexual Predators in Hollywood (and the World)," in which he discussed the issue of sexual harassment in and outside of Hollywood. Gunn wrote, "As we’ve discovered lately with the numerous sexual allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Roger Ailes, and Bill O’Reilly, sexual predators have no political affiliation. They are Republicans, Democrats, Communists, Nazis, Green Party, Whigs, and whatever-the-hell-else is out there. But they also know no status or occupation."

30. Stephen Colbert

CBS / Via youtube.com

On his late night show that aired on Monday, Oct. 9, Stephen Colbert addressed the allegations against Weinstein. "This is monstrous behavior that in a just world, would not have been allowed to go on for decades," he said. "It is indefensible."

31. Jennifer Lawrence

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

In 2013, Jennifer Lawrence won an Academy Award for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, a film produced by the Weinstein Company.

And on Oct. 9, Lawrence gave a statement to Variety, saying, "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.”

32. George Clooney

Geoff Robins / AFP / Getty Images

Producer, director, and actor George Clooney spoke extensively to The Daily Beast on Monday night about Weinstein, calling his behavior "indefensible" and noting that while he'd regularly seen Weinstein hit on women in the 20 years they'd known each other, he was unaware of harassment.

"A good bunch of people that I know would say, 'Yeah, Harvey’s a dog' or 'Harvey’s chasing girls,' but again, this is a very different kind of thing. This is harassment on a very high level. And there’s an argument that everyone is complicit in it. I suppose the argument would be that it’s not just about Hollywood, but about all of us — that every time you see someone using their power and influence to take advantage of someone without power and influence and you don’t speak up, you’re complicit. And there’s no question about that.

Clooney, who's worked with Weinstein on multiple movies, went on to say that he hopes all victims of sexual harassment and assault feel safer to come forward and tell their stories, and that people in power realize this behavior is inappropriate.

"Before, people weren’t paying enough attention to it. Now we have to. This is the moment to start scaring people like this into not acting this way anymore," said Clooney.

33. Lin-Manuel Miranda

Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

Hamilton creator tweeted a statement Tuesday, saying he was "appalled and repulsed by the Weinstein news," after he appeared in a list of Hollywood men who hadn't responded to comment about the producer.

Lin-Manuel Miranda @Lin_Manuel

I'm as appalled and repulsed by the Weinstein news as anyone with a beating heart. And forever in awe of the bravery of those who spoke out.

Reply Retweet Favorite

34. Christian Slater

Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AFP / Getty Images

On Tuesday, actor Christian Slater, who's worked on three films with Weinstein, tweeted out a statement.

Christian Slater @ChristianSlater

Some thoughts.

Reply Retweet Favorite

It reads, in full:

Women who come forward to speak out against abusers do so at great cost and risk to themselves and it’s hard to believe that they are met with shaming statements, disbelief, and blame. Industries and workplaces are often complicit in the protection of abusers. Confronting a painful truth is easily passed over in favor of excuses and denial. The brave actions of the women who went on the record and the journalists that shared their truth have powerfully challenged that paradigm. No woman should fear for her safety in the workplace. No man should feel immune from the consequences of his actions. Accountability is essential to destroy the dangerous and persistent idea that some people are above the law.

It can sometimes be easy for a man to live without challenging his entitled and distorted ideas about right and wrong, especially when he experiences success. it’s worth it to become educated and informed (it’s a lifelong process). Most people don’t have a choice when it comes to following the law. Having a society and a justice system that discriminate based on skin color, gender, power, and socioeconomic status isn’t a free pass for those on the easier end of it. It’s a challenge to recognize our privilege and use our platform to even the playing field.

35. Meryl Streep

Mario Anzuoni / Reuters

Streep, who's appeared in many films produced by Weinstein — including Music of the Heart, The Giver, and August: Osage County — called the news "disgraceful" in a statement to the Huffington Post.

"The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes," she wrote.

"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."

36. Judi Dench

John Phillips / Getty Images

In a statement to Newsweek, Dench — who has been in numerous movies produced by Weinstein, including the upcoming Tulip Fever — said: "Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my film career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offenses which are, of course, horrifying, and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out."

37. Kate Winslet

John Phillips / Getty Images

Winslet, who appeared in her first Weinstein-produced movie in 1999 and has continued to work with him, released a statement to Variety, saying: “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.”

38. Glenn Close

Alexander Koerner / Getty Images

In a statement to the New York Times, Close, whose most recent movie from The Weinstein Company was 2011's Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil, said: "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."

39. Alyssa Milano

Randy Shropshire / Getty Images

In a statement to Patriot Not Partisan, Alyssa Milano, who hosts the Weinstein-produced Lifetime series Project Runway: All Stars, said: "I've been asked a number of times to comment on the Harvey Weinstein scandal. While I am sickened and angered over the disturbing accusations of Weinstein's sexual predation and abuse of power, I'm happy — ecstatic even — that it has opened up a dialogue around the continued sexual harassment, objectification and degradation of women. To the women who have suffered any form of abuse of power, I stand beside you. To the women who have come forward against a system that is designed to keep you silent, I stand in awe of you and appreciate you and your fortitude. It is not easy to disclose such experiences, especially in the public eye. Your strength will inspire others. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for fighting this battle so hopefully my daughter won't have to.

"I've been an actor for a long time. So long, that when I started, we were called 'actresses' — a feminized, watered down name for the same profession our male colleagues have dominated. Somewhere in the early 2000s it became politically incorrect to call us actresses, and with good reason. After all, there's no feminized moniker for a director or producer or a writer or doctor or a lawyer. So 'actresses' became 'actors'. But sexual harassment and sexism in the industry did not change with the title change. We were still clearly 'actresses' to anyone that saw gender before talent and intelligence.

"I can tell you what it meant to be an 'actress' then and what it means to be an 'actor' (with breasts) now. BUT more importantly, I can tell you what it means to be a woman in our society. In any — and every — profession, women are continuously mistreated. This is not an uncommon occurrence. This is a sick culture. Men like Harvey Weinstein are around every corner. Men who undermine women and their strength, ability and intelligence exist everywhere. Statistics say that 1 in 3 women are sexually harassed in the workplace. Really think about that. Really allow that statistic to become a part of you. Also, while you process it, think about the gender inequality women — particularly women of color — face in salary and opportunity. Actually, fuck the statistics, just do better, world.

"Even with these strong feelings — not just about Weinstein but about workplace sexism in general — this statement is complicated for me for personal reasons. Harvey has a wife, who I have had the privilege of working with for the last 5 years on Project Runway All Stars. Georgina Chapman is my friend. She is one of the most special humans I have ever met. Harvey and Georgina also have two very young children who my children have known their entire lives. It is because of my love for Georgina, India, and Dashiell that I haven't publicly commented on this until now. Please don't confuse my silence for anything other than respect for a dear friend and her beautiful children.

"And please know that I fight for women's rights every day. I am constantly part of this conversation even if I don't publicly comment on specific scandals. Sexual harassment and assault in the workplace are not just about Harvey Weinstein. We must change things in general. We must do better for women everywhere."

40. Lena Dunham

41. Emma Thompson

Brad Barket / Getty Images

Emma Thompson, who starred in Burnt, which was distributed by The Weinstein Company, spoke with BBC News about the allegations. "I didn't know about these things, but they don't surprise me at all and they're endemic to the system anyway," she said. "What I find sort of extraordinary is that this man is at the top of a very particular ice berg. I don't think you can describe him as a sex addict, he's a predator. But what he's, as it were, the top of the ladder of is a system of harassment, and belittling, and bullying, and interference, and what my mother would have referred to in the olden days as 'pestering.' 'Is he pestering you?' That's the world we used to use in the olden days, if you recall. This has been part of our world, women's world, since time immemorial. So what we need to start talking about is the crisis in masculinity, the crisis of extreme masculinity, which is this sort of behavior, and the fact that it is not only OK, but it also is represented by the most powerful man in the world at the moment."

Asked if there are others in Hollywood like Weinstein, Thompson responded, "of course. Many."

"Maybe not to that degree," she said. "Do they have to all be as bad as him to make it count?"

This post will be continuously updated as more celebrities come forward.

Topics in this article

Skip to footer