After dozens of accusations of alleged sexual assault, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted to expel Harvey Weinstein from their membership last October. At the time, it was seen as a victory for the rising #MeToo movement and was lauded by many in Hollywood. However, not much was known about what happened behind the scenes during that vote, until now.
In a Q&A after a screening of the “Half the Picture,” which is a documentary about the struggle that female directors have in Hollywood, filmmaker Kimberly Peirce spoke about Weinstein, and in particular, his dismissal from the AMPAS.
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“I was in the room when we got rid of Harvey,” she said (via IndieWire). “When I say I was in the room, what I actually should say is I was one of the dominant voices that said, ‘We have got to get this guy out of here. Because if you don’t get rid of Harvey, who are you going to get rid of? It’s 30 years of proven abuse and criminal behavior.’”
“In that discussion, I went around the room and I said, ‘How many women have been sexually harassed and abused?’ Every woman’s hand went up. Now think about that. These are people at the highest level. If you’ve gotten to the point of success that these women are at — it’s a miracle any of us are successful — and think about what they’ve gone through. And if every one has experienced it, we’re talking about a huge systemic problem,” she continued.
For those that aren’t familiar with Peirce’s work, she is probably best known for writing and directing the critically-acclaimed film “Boys Don’t Cry” and is featured in the aforementioned doc “Half the Picture.” And as recently reported, the director is rumored to be on the shortlist of filmmakers that Marvel Studios is eyeing for their “Black Widow” feature film.
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In the wake of the #MeToo movement exposing many in Hollywood, the Academy has also expelled filmmaker Roman Polanski and comedian Bill Cosby from its ranks. But again, it was the actions against Harvey Weinstein that paved the way for these recent actions. And apparently, if it wasn’t for Kimberly Peirce, it might not have happened as quickly as it did.