The revelations surrounding Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s decades-long past of sexual misconduct continue to grow, with more and more women bravely coming out to reveal his many indiscretions, as the industry itself reveals the dark secret it’s (mostly) kept for years.
Whilst it has unfortunately taken until 2017 for his heinous acts to properly come to light, it’s becoming more and more apparent that his monstrosity always existed under the surface of the film industry, snatching airtime via pop culture jokes or passing comments and gestures.
Kate Winslet is the latest to confirm her own moment of prior protest, purposefully excluding mention of Weinstein in her acceptance speech for her 2009 Oscar for Best Actress.
Speaking to the LA Times over the weekend, Winslet revealed that despite Weinstein’s company financing and distributing The Reader, for which she won the gong, she chose not to mention him in her speech:
That was deliberate. That was absolutely deliberate. I remember being told. ‘Make sure you thank Harvey if you win.’ And I remember turning around and saying, ‘No I won’t. No I won’t.’ And it was nothing to do with not being grateful. If people aren’t well-behaved, why would I thank him?
Winslet was one of the first to condemn Weinstein after the explosive reports surfaced, which have now seen him expelled from the Oscars board with police now also investigating.
Speaking further on her experiences with Weinstein, Winslet confirms she’s happy to see him exit public life:
For my whole career, Harvey Weinstein, whenever I’ve bumped into him, he’d grab my arm and say, ‘Don’t forget who gave you your first movie.’ Like I owe him everything. Then later, with ‘The Reader,’ same thing, ‘I’m gonna get you that Oscar nomination, I’m gonna get you a win, I’m gonna win for you.’”
The fact that I’m never going to have to deal with Harvey Weinstein again as long as I live is one of the best things that’s ever happened and I’m sure the feeling is universal.
