Jennifer Lawrence calls Harvey Weinstein allegations 'inexcusable,' 'absolutely upsetting'

Jennifer Lawrence has joined top Hollywood stars such as George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jessica Chastain, Judi Dench, and Kate Winslet, in condemning Harvey Weinstein.

“I was deeply disturbed to hear the news about Harvey Weinstein’s behavior. I worked with Harvey five years ago and I did not experience any form of harassment personally, nor did I know about any of these allegations,” Lawrence said in a statement obtained by EW. “This kind of abuse is inexcusable and absolutely upsetting. My heart goes out to all of the women affected by these gross actions. And I want to thank them for their bravery to come forward.”

Lawrence won her Oscar for starring in Silver Linings Playbook, which was released by The Weinstein Company in 2012.

Last week, the New York Times published an exposé about Weinstein, alleging “decades” of sexual harassment allegations — including from actress Ashley Judd, who claimed Weinstein invited her to a hotel room for a business meeting, “appeared in a bathrobe and asked if he could give her a massage or she could watch him shower.” In the wake of the story, Weinstein has since been fired from The Weinstein Company, while numerous members of the Hollywood community have spoken out against him.

Streep, who also won an Oscar for working on a Weinstein release, 2011’s The Iron Lady, said in a statement, “The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported. The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes.”

Fellow Oscar-winner Winslet, who took home an award for Weinstein’s 2008 film The Reader, added, “The fact that these women are starting to speak out about the gross misconduct of one of our most important and well-regarded film producers, is incredibly brave and has been deeply shocking to hear. The way Harvey Weinstein has treated these vulnerable, talented young women is NOT the way women should ever EVER deem to be acceptable or commonplace in ANY workplace.”

Weinstein issued a statement last week, saying in part, “I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it. Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go.” At the same time, Lisa Bloom, a lawyer who was then advising Weinstein, said Weinstein denied many of the accusations made in the Times story “as patently false.” (Bloom is no longer advising Weinstein.) In a separate statement, Weinstein’s lawyer Charles Harder said he was preparing a lawsuit against the Times.