HOLLYWOOD SEXUAL HARASSMENT - One of the filth histories of film industry

I love Hollywood! I grew up watching all the 80s good things. My first movie at the theater was Steven Spielberg's E.T.

The Ronald Reagan era was magical, at least on TV shows and movies, but (always has a "but"), very few people know about the dirty side of Hollywood.

Fortunately looks like time is changing, since in the last few weeks a lot came at the surface from Harvey Weinstein and the allegations of sexual harassment and rape. 

Do you know who is Harvey Weinstein? In order to illustrate his influence in Hollywood, let me give you a little of his background. 

He is a film producer and former film studio executive (you will understand why he is a “former” studio executive). Together with his brother founded Miramax Films, producer of movies like  Pulp Fiction; Clerks; The Crying Game; and Sex, Lies, and Videotape. He also won an Academy Award for producing Shakespeare in Love and more 7 (seven) Tony awards.  

A few weeks ago The New York Times published an article with some of Weinstein’s sexual harassment, and in a few days almost all women harassed for him came public.

Let’s see his “small list” (I’m being extremely sarcastic)

Starting with his employees 

Laura Madden 

In 1991, Weinstein asked her for massages in Dublin and London.

Rose McGowan

In 1997, when Rose McGowan was 23 years old, during the Sundance Film Festival, after an episode at a hotel room, she signed an agreement to avoid litigation against Weinstein. 

Lauren O’Connor 

In 2015, Lauren O’Connor documented several allegations against Weinstein. In one of the episodes, she said that Weinstein yelled at her suggesting that she was good enough to “be a wife” and “making babies”. 

Zelda Perkins 

In 1998, when Zelda Perkins was 25 years old and Weinstein's assistant, she confronted him against his harassment and threatened to go public or take legal action if it continued. Weinstein Lawyer was later dispatched to negotiate a settlement with her.  

Those are a few of his victims that unfortunately didn’t have a strong voice to come public. But none of that matter since He did the same thing with celebrities that we believe have voice to goes public.

THE CELEBRITY ONES

Lauren Sivan

In 2007, Lauren Sivan, tells that was trapped in an empty restaurant area in New York and Weinstein masturbated himself in front of her.

  Cara Delevingne  

In her Instagram, Cara Delevingne  describe an incident when Weinstein in a hotel room tried to kiss her after block the door; fortunately she was able to escape.

Lea Seydoux

  The French actress Lea Seydoux, wrote in the British Journal The Guardian her “experience” with Weinstein.  

  “We were talking on the sofa when he suddenly jumped on me and tried to kiss me. I had to defend myself. He’s big and fat, so I had to be forceful to resist him. I left his room, thoroughly disgusted. I wasn’t afraid of him, though. Because I knew what kind of man he was all along.”  

  Gwyneth Paltrow  

Gwyneth Paltrow, told to The New York Times that in 1996, she was "intimated' to Weinstein hotel room. When there, Weinstein put his hands on her body and suggested a massage. 

She said:

“I was 22 years old, I didn’t know what to do”. 

She also said that rejected his advances, and told to Brad Pitt, her boyfriend at the time.

   Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie had her problem with Weinstein in 1998, she sent as e-mail to The New York Times with the following declaration.

  “I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did,” “This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.” 

Ashley Judd  

Ashley Judd was lured to Weinstein hotel with a business breakfast pretext. When she gets to the hotel she was asked to go until his room here she finds out that he is using only a towel, and again like M.O. he ask for a massage.

  “I denied several times, in several ways, but he always came with a new invite.”  

  Rose McGowan

Accordingly New York Times, in 1997 Weinstein came with an agreement with Rose McGowan after an episode that happened in a hotel room during Sundance Festival.

The U$100.000,00 (a hundred thousand dollars)  agreement was to avoid litigation against Weinstein.

  Heather Graham  

Heather Graham in an interview to the Variety magazine told that, in 2000, Weinstein tried to force her to make sex with him, and told her he could sleep with whoever he want, that his wife would not matter.

Heather also said that even if nothing was mentioned about sleep with him to get a role in his movies, this was implied.

  Zoe Brock 

In 1997 Zoe Brock was lured into Weinstein hotel room under false pretext and appeared naked in front her asking for a massage. After she denies, he ask to make a massage on her.

“I didn't want to do that. I didn't know what to do. I felt that if I let him touch me a little, maybe I could calm him down, to get way from there.”

  After a few time she locked herself in the bathroom.  

  

  Asia Argento  

She said that after a party, was left alone with Weinstein in his hotel room. He ask for a massage. This case ended as a rape.  

“I was afraid of Weinstein.” “He didn’t stop.” “It was a nightmare.” 

“I knew that he was destroyed another people life.” 

  She also said that as afraid that this incident could destroy her career.

Lucia Stoller  

Lucia Stoller affirms that was obligated to commit sexual acts with Weinstein in his office, after a cast reunion.

In a interview to the New Yorker Magazine, she also said: 

“The kind of control that he exerts is very real. Only his presence is very intimidating.”

Mira Sorvino  

Mira Sorvino, told to the New Yorker, that Weinstein tried to sexually force her several times. 

The M.O. was the same, a hotel room and ask her for massage. However in Sorvino's case, he went until her apartment under the pretext to discuss marketing ideas for the movies. To get away from Weinstein, she told him that her boyfriend was arriving at any moment, until he left her in alone.

  Louisette Geiss  

  Actress and screenwriter Louisette Geiss said that Weinstein tried to force her to watch him masturbate while she was pitching a movie at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008.  

 In her statement she said:

 “We went to his office and had a great conversation about his current film and about the film I was pitching,” “He seemed genuinely interested in the script I had co-written. After 30 minutes he excused himself to go to the bathroom.” “He returned in a robe with the front open, buck-naked,” “He told me to keep talking about my film and that he was going to get into his hot tub which was in the room adjacent to his office, steps away. I kept talking as he got into the hot tub. When I finished my pitch, he asked me to watch him masturbate. I told him I was leaving. He quickly got out of the hot tub. As I went to get my purse to leave, he grabbed my forearm and pulled me to his bathroom and pleaded with me to watch him masturbate. My heart was racing and I was very scared.”  

 The only thing that I can say in front of this monstrous situation is... 

We should celebrate the courage of women who have come forward to tell these painful stories. Their courage and the support of others is critical in helping to stop this kind of behavior.