Following the resounding condemnations of film producer Harvey Weinstein by the likes of Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and George Clooney in recent days, actor Colin Firth has come out to describe the mogul as 'a powerful and frightening man to stand up to'.
In a statement sent to the Guardian on Tuesday, the Kingsman actor said: 'It's with a feeling of nausea that I read what was going on while I was benefiting from Harvey Weinstein's support.
'He was a powerful and frightening man to stand up to. It must have been terrifying for these women to step up and call him out. And horrifying to be subjected to that kind of harassment. I applaud their courage.'
'By coming forward they've provided a jolting wake up throughout our industry. I hope it's going to be a help to others, both in our own industry and elsewhere.'
Firth is the latest Hollywood A-lister to criticise the film producer less than a week after the New York Times published an article alleging his unwanted sexual misconduct and harassment during his career.
Yesterday, the New Yorker published an article in which three women accuse the 65-year-old of rape, allegations he 'unequivocally denied' via a spokesperson.
The news comes amid reports Weinstein's wife Georgina Chapman has released a statement to People to announce she is leaving her husband.
'My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions. I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority and I ask the media for privacy at this time,' she told the publication, following 10 years of marriage and two children together.
Earlier this week, the Times revealed actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment by Weinstein.
Paltrow reportedly told the news outlet that at 22-years-old, Weinstein summoned her to his hotel room shortly after she was cast in Emma.
The meeting began uneventfully, but ended with Weinstein 'placing his hands on her and suggesting they head to the bedroom for massages', Paltrow told the paper. 'I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified.'
Meanwhile, Jolie told the publication that Weinstein made unwanted advances on her in a hotel room in the late 1990s.
'I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did,' she said via email. 'This behaviour towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.'
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
