Lena Dunham, Rose McGowan add voices to Harvey Weinstein scandal
Reactions to an exposé alleging decades of sexual misconduct by Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein varied on social media from relief to snark to applause for the women — actress Ashley Judd among them — who came forward with their stories.
The film producer said in a statement that he would take a leave of absence in wake of the explosive New York Times investigation, which details decades of alleged inappropriate sexual advances. Weinstein’s lengthy and bizarre statement, which referenced the ’60s, Jay-Z and the NRA, was the target of a lot of ribbing on Twitter. His attorney Lisa Bloom’s statement earned a few too.
READ MORE: Harvey Weinstein to take leave amid sexual harassment claims, threatens lawsuit>>
Judd, whose personal story led the investigation, didn’t have any additional commentary aside from tweeting the article. However, actress Rose McGowan, who appeared in the Weinstein Co.’s “Scream” franchise and reportedly settled a lawsuit years ago with the 65-year-old producer, fired off a series of tweets about female empowerment. Unabashed Hollywood feminists Lena Dunham and Amber Tamblyn also added their voices to the conversation.
Here’s some of what they and other folks in the entertainment industry and the media had to say:
There was also a lengthy statement from Gretchen Carlson, the former anchorwoman whose allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation in a lawsuit filed against the late Roger Ailes opened floodgates at Fox News.
“Most disturbing,” she wrote, “is the fact that this company required employees to agree to secrecy before they were even hired. ... So, the harassers are free to harass again, sometimes for decades, and the women are forever silenced.”
Follow me: @NardineSaad
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
