As the allegations of sexual harassment and assault, including rape, against Harvey Weinstein continue to pile up, many Hollywood figures have used their platforms to denounce the ousted film producer. One of the first to condemn him was Kate Winslet, who engaged in a silent protest against Weinstein all the way back in 2009.
When Winslet won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in The Reader, her acceptance speech followed custom by thanking almost everyone she had worked with during production, including 19 people by name. One name, however, was noticeably absent: Harvey Weinstein.
The actress now says her omission was completely intentional. “That was deliberate. That was absolutely deliberate,” she said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, published over the weekend. “I remember being told. ‘Make sure you thank Harvey if you win.’ And I remember turning around and saying, ‘No I won’t. No I won’t.’ And it was nothing to do with not being grateful. If people aren’t well-behaved, why would I thank him?”
“The fact that I’m never going to have to deal with Harvey Weinstein again as long as I live is one of the best things that’s ever happened, and I'm sure the feeling is universal,” she continued.
Winslet also said the producer constantly reminded her of the fact that her first film role, in 1994's Heavenly Creatures, was distributed by Miramax, a company he cofounded. “For my whole career, Harvey Weinstein, whenever I’ve bumped into him, he’d grab my arm and say, ‘Don’t forget who gave you your first movie.’ Like I owe him everything. Then later, with The Reader, same thing, ‘I’m gonna get you that Oscar nomination, I’m gonna get you a win, I’m gonna win for you,'" she told the Times. “But that’s how he operated. He was bullying and nasty. Going on a business level, he was always very, very hard to deal with—he was rude. He used to call my female agent a [vulgar name for a woman] every time he spoke to her on the telephone.”
Winslet also told the L.A. Times about Weinstein's "disgraceful behavior" during the filming of The Reader. "We still had a full four days of shooting of very key scenes that for me—as a person playing that part—were absolutely crucial to the story and to [director] Stephen Daldry, they were as well,” Winslet says. “And Harvey just decided, ‘OK, we’re done. No more money. I’m pulling the plug.’ We had to stop and were sent home. That was it."
The actress said she never worked with Weinstein again, and emphasized that the film producer "thankfully" never sexually harassed her.
Previously, Winslet had applauded Weinstein's accusers, who include Rose McGowan, Ashley Judd, Cara Delevingne, and many others.
“I fully embrace and salute their profound courage, and I unequivocally support this level of very necessary exposure of someone who has behaved in reprehensible and disgusting ways," she said in a statement to Variety. "His behaviour is without question disgraceful and appalling and very, very wrong. I had hoped that these kind of stories were just made up rumours, maybe we have all been naïve. And it makes me so angry. There must be ‘no tolerance’ of this degrading, vile treatment of women in ANY workplace anywhere in the world.”
At the same time, Winslet is being called a "hypocrite" on Twitter for criticizing Weinstein while promoting her new film Wonder Wheel, which is directed by Woody Allen. In 1993, Allen was accused of molesting his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow, who wrote an open letter published by The New York Times in 2014 maintaining the allegations. The director has also been heavily criticized for marrying ex-partner Mia Farrow's adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn.
"Kate Winslet on Harvey Weinstein. A reminder. Her next film is directed by Woody Allen," tweeted writer Melissa Silverstein with a screenshot of the actress's Variety statement.
"Doubt it. Right now, the same Kate Winslet who's condemned Weinstein's actions is promoting her new film directed by Woody Allen. Hypocrite," tweeted user @JUMPINJACQUES.
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Some, however, think the fixation on Winslet's statements is mislaid and missing the point.
"Attacking Kate Winslet for being a hypocrite is not a step forward," tweeted @vanessamoviefan. "We are all learning here. Stop holding women responsible for men’s acts."
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Related: Courtney Love Called Out Harvey Weinstein Back in 2005
