Harvey Weinstein officially voted out of the Academy
Harvey Weinstein has been officially ousted from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in response to a string of sexual misconduct allegations lodged against the disgraced movie producer.
“The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors met today to discuss the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, and has voted well in excess of the required two-thirds majority to immediately expel him from the Academy,” read a statement, released Saturday. “We do so not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over. What’s at issue here is a deeply troubling problem that has no place in our society. The Board continues to work to establish ethical standards of conduct that all Academy members will be expected to exemplify.”
A rep for Weinstein did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment.
The 54-member board — which includes industry members like Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Whoopi Goldberg — announced plans on Wednesday to convene and determine an appropriate action after the New York Times and The New Yorker published reports that revealed decades sexual misconduct claims. Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Kate Beckinsale, Heather Graham, Rose McGowan, Cara Delevingne, and Mira Sorvino are just some of the women who’ve come forward with accusations of harassment and assault.
“The Academy finds the conduct described in the allegations against Harvey Weinstein to be repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents,” AMPAS said in a statement earlier this week.
Prior to the Academy’s decision, Bob Weinstein, Harvey’s brother, had told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview, “I am gonna write a note to them saying he definitely should be kicked out of the Academy.”
“Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein,” read a statement issued from Weinstein’s rep earlier this week. “Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual. Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path. Mr. Weinstein is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance.”
Weinstein was also fired from his position at The Weinstein Company.