Harvey Weinstein Fired From Own Company After Sexual Harassment Scandal

Harvey Weinstein Fired From Own Company After Sexual Harassment Scandal - Harvey Weinstein has been fired from the independent film company he co-founded and catapulted to Oscar glory, felled by a mushrooming sexual harassment scandal that has hobbled his status as a media mogul and left his future in Hollywood in jeopardy.

The Weinstein Company’s board of directors has voted to remove Weinstein from the studio, leaving control of the company in the hands of Weinstein’s brother, Bob Weinstein, and chief operating officer David Glasser, it was announced in a statement from the company on Oct 8. “In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company – Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar – have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately,” the statement reads.

Weinstein has been rocked by a devastating New York Times report documenting decades of legal settlements stemming from sexual harassment allegations levelled by former employees and associates, as well as accusations of improper sexual advances from actress Ashley Judd.

The allegations extend back to Weinstein’s days running Miramax, an independent film studio that was then owned by the Walt Disney Co.

It is a stunning fall from power for the mogul, whose tenacity and ruthlessness put him at the nexus of Hollywood, Wall Street, and the Beltway.

Not just a movie producer, Weinstein was also a political player and major force in New York City and Hollywood’s cultural and corporate life.

Weinstein did not agree to leave the company, and there is no financial settlement in place, according to an insider. He has been fired for cause after the board met on Oct 8. Weinstein controls roughly 20% of the company.

New accusers

New accusers have also come forward, including Lauren Sivan, a former Fox News reporter and a reporter at KTTV, who said Weinstein once masturbated in front of her after cornering her in a restaurant. On Oct 8, British freelance writer Liza Campbell said Weinstein asked her to jump in a bath with him when she showed up to his hotel for a business meeting.

He has also struggled with forming a coherent response, veering from contrition to combativeness. An initial statement to the Times acknowledged past mistakes, while pledging to reform himself. Shortly after, Weinstein’s attorney Charles Harder said he was preparing to sue the paper, accusing it of making “false and defamatory statements.” Weinstein also said he was taking a leave of absence, only to continue appearing at work. The board later forced him to take an indefinite leave on Friday.

Bob Weinstein and Glasser had been pushing for Weinstein to leave the company, believing he threatened the studio’s ability to continue to attract top talent and to release film and television shows. Weinstein maintained that he could weather the crisis and re-emerge as a player in Hollywood.

No support in the entertainment industry

However, he quickly found himself without support in the entertainment industry. Prominent actors such as Seth Rogen, Lena Dunham, Brie Larson, and Judd Apatow have voiced support for Weinstein’s accusers while condemning Weinstein.

Members of the creative community and talent agencies told Weinstein executives that they would continue to work with the company provided Harvey Weinstein was ousted, according to an insider.

Weinstein has been a major force in independent film for decades, helping bring art house movies such as Cinema Paradiso and The Crying Game to mass audiences, and propelling the likes of Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare In Love to commercial success and awards glory.