Since news broke of Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual assault and harassment of countless women in Hollywood, the film industry's reputation has been sullied with allegations of deceit, cover-ups, coercion and silence.
However, amid the devastation and anger, it's also been a moment of solidarity among sexual assault victims; a time when the major heavyweights in Hollywood have taken a stand against intimidation, injustice and threats, and signalled the need for significant change in the way humanity - as a whole - treats, respects and values women (and men) going forward.
Following on from several of Weinstein's colleagues who have spoken out against the film, filmmaker Kevin Smith has revealed his shame over having worked with the 65-year-old throughout the years and how he plans to help women in the future.
The filmmaker, who worked with the film mogul on several films including the likes of Clerks, Chasing Amy and Dogma, recently announced to a live crowd that he has decided to donate the fees he receives every time one of his Weinstein-financed films episode airs on television, to help women achieve their dreams in the film industry.
With tears in his eyes, he told his Hollywood Babble-On podcast audience: 'My entire career is tied up with the man. Everything I did in the beginning has his name on it. And I spent many years lionising him, telling stories. Whenever I tell the Clerks story, there's, you know, and then we got bought by Miramax.
'I'm not a victim in this. This is not about me at all. We know who the victims are. But my sh*t is tied up with this man…
'I just wanted to make some f*cking movies, that's it. That's why I came, that's why I made Clerks. And no f*cking movie is worth all this. Like, my entire career, f*ck it, take it. It's wrapped up in something really f*cking horrible.'
During the recording, a voice from the crowd shouted that it wasn't Smith's fault that he had worked with the film producer.
'I know it's not my fault, but I didn't f*cking help,' he replied.
'Because I sat out there talking about this man like he was a hero, like he was my friend, like he was my father and sh*t like that, and he changed my f*cking life. And I showed other people, "You can dream, and you can make stuff, and this man will put it out". I was singing praises of somebody that I didn't f*cking know. I didn't know the man that they keep talking about in the press. Clearly he exists, but that man never showed himself to me.
'It all hurts, and it didn't happen to me, but it all hurts,' he added.
As a result, Smith promised that he would donate all his residuals - an ongoing stream of earnings for the completion of past films - to help empower women in the film industry.
'So I've been trying to think of what to do. Everyone on the Internet of course has an opinion; a lot of people when I said that I'm ashamed, I wrote a tweet saying I'm ashamed, a lot of people of course were like, "Give all the money back." Well, I don't have money from 20 years ago, do you?
'But that being said, I work in an industry where thankfully there are dividends that come out of a movie for the rest of your life, so there's such a thing as residuals, where I still get money for those movies, for the movies I made at Miramax and for the movies I made with at Weinstein. The first thing I feel like I can do is, I don't want that anymore.'
The filmmaker has reportedly decided to give all his residuals from Weinstein-financed films to Women In Film, a nonprofit organisation that helps women coming up in the industry to achieve their dreams.
He also vows to give an additional $2,000 a month to the initiative for the rest of his life.
Last week, Smith posted a message to Twitter to reveal his shame at having worked with Weinstein amid allegations of sexual harassment and assault.
The post comes years after the filmmaker opened up to the Guardian about calling out Harvey Weinstein for talking during the opening minutes of one of his films.
He told the publication in 2011: 'It doesn't get much more heartbreaking.
'So I f*ckin' lost it, and I went out and said, "Hey. Shut the fuck up!" And he looked at me with fuckin' hate in his eyes. And I said, "Yeah. That's me and I'm saying it." And he just left."
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.
