Harvey Weinstein: 5 Things About Sexual Harassment Claims From ‘Dozens’ Of Women

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Harvey Weinstein, one of the biggest names in Hollywood, has been accused of sexually harassing women for decades. At more details come to light, get to know the man at the center of this scandal.

1. He’s a film producer and studio executive – accused of sexually harassing numerous women. For many, the name Harvey Weinstein, 65, conjures up thoughts of Miramax, the studio he co-founded with his brother Bob Weinstein, 62. However, he’s going to be associated with the terms “sexual harassment,” as a bombshell New York Times report found undisclosed allegations stretching over three decades. Dozens of his former and current and former employees have reported him engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior. The Times claims Harvey reached confidential settlements with at least eight women, including: a young assistant in New York in 1990, a London assistant in 1998, an Italian model in 2015, and actress Rose McGowan, in 1997.

2. He plans to take a leave of absence in the wake of this scandal. “I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it,” Harvey told The New York Times on Oct. 5. “Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go.” Harvey also said that he was planning to take a leave of absence to work with therapists and “deal with this issue head on.” However, this isn’t an admission of guilt, as Lisa Bloom, a lawyer advising Harvey, said that he “denies many of the accusations as patently false.”

3. Ashley Judd also claims he harassed her in a hotel room. About twenty years ago, Harvey reportedly invited Ashley Judd, 49, to the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel for what she thought was a breakfast meeting in the restaurant, per the New York Daily News. Instead, he reportedly met her in his hotel room, wearing nothing but a bathrobe. After offering to give her a massage or to let her watch him shower, Ashley only had one thought: “How do I get out of the room as fast as possible without alienating Harvey Weinstein?”

He allegedly pulled this stunt again in 2015. A female assistant said Harvey “badgered her” into giving him a massage in his Peninsula hotel room. She was left “crying and very distraught” afterward, according to a memo written by college Lauren O’Connor, who also accused Harvey of sexual harassment.

4. He co-created Miramax in the 1970. Growing up in New York City, both Harvey and Bob had a passion for movies. Using profits from their concert promotion business, they created an independent film distribution called Miramax (after their parents, Miriam and Max.) The studio is responsible for producing and distributing several monumental films, like Pulp Fiction, The Crying Game and Clerks.

5. He’s an award-winning producer. Harvey won an Academy Awards for producing Shakespeare In Love, and he’s also won seven Tony Awards for producing a variety of plays – including The Producers, August: Osage County, and Billy Elliot the Musical. However, these revelations will forever tarnish a legacy of a man once held in high regard in Hollywood.

What do you think about these allegations, HollywoodLifers?