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Harvey Weinstein, a globally recognized producer and co-founder of Miramax Films, has had his name appear in the credits of many beloved films. He has received numerous awards and has been publicly acknowledged by Hollywood's biggest stars in their acceptance speeches.
However, this week, Weinstein's name is being spoken of for all the wrong reasons. The father of five, worth $300 million, is facing accusations of sexual misconduct from some of Hollywood's biggest names, as well as many other women. Despite the intense media attention, here are 10 lesser-known facts about Harvey Weinstein.
10. He Has Received Recognition From France
The French National Order of the Legion of Honor was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It represents the country's highest honor for both military and civilian achievements. Other iconic figures who have received the Legion include Charlie Chaplin, Jules Verne, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg.
In March 2012, Harvey Weinstein was honored with the title of knight (chevalier rank) by the Legion of Honor for his dedication to promoting French and international cinema in the U.S.
History has shown that no amount of fame or wealth can protect one from the dishonor of losing an honorary title. Nevertheless, the French government has stated that, as of now, they will not revoke a foreigner’s title until the individual has been convicted of a crime.
Interestingly, Lance Armstrong lost his French honors after being stripped of his Tour de France titles due to his use of performance-enhancing drugs.
9. He Has Also Been Recognized By The British
In April 2004, Weinstein received the Honorary Commander of the British Empire (CBE) from Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his efforts to promote the British film industry. He was instrumental in bringing films like Shakespeare in Love and My Left Foot into the spotlight.
Since the allegations of sexual abuse emerged, there has been ongoing speculation about whether Weinstein will lose his CBE. In response, the British Prime Minister acknowledged their concern over the allegations, but stated that the Forfeiture Committee operates independently from the government.
If Weinstein's title is revoked, he would join the ranks of Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, who had his honorary knighthood rescinded in 2008 due to severe human rights abuses.
8. He Has Shown Support for Roman Polanski
In February 2017, Mytour published an article titled “10 Disturbing Stories About Hollywood’s Pedophile Problem,” where Roman Polanski was ranked number one. The renowned director is notorious for escaping justice after sexually assaulting 13-year-old Samantha Gailey in 1977.
In September 2009, shortly after Polanski’s arrest in Switzerland, Harvey Weinstein led a petition to block Polanski's extradition to the United States, where he faced the potential of 50 years in prison. At the time, The Weinstein Company sought support from Hollywood’s elite for Polanski.
Weinstein was reportedly heard calling on “every filmmaker… to help fix this terrible situation.” The petition eventually collected signatures from notable filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, David Lynch, and others.
In an open letter published through The Independent, Weinstein recalled “the incredible love and affection that people have for [Polanski]” and dismissed the allegations as “so-called crimes.” With backing from Thierry Fremaux, the director of the Cannes Film Festival, Weinstein tried to get Polanski pardoned by then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
However, in October 2009, Schwarzenegger replied somewhat ambiguously, stating that he “would not treat [Polanski’s] situation any differently than anyone else. It shouldn’t be treated differently.” Weinstein concluded the letter by claiming: “Forget about the Seventies era and whether this is excusable—this is a miscarriage of justice, and the government is making him a scapegoat.”
7. He Contributes to Charity, But…
Weinstein has consistently been a vocal supporter of the Democratic Party. More recently, he has shown support for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton through charitable donations, television appearances, and hosting events.
You might not be aware that Weinstein is a strong advocate for various charities and causes. These range from the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) to the LeBron James Family Foundation. In October 2017, he even committed $5 million to a scholarship fund for female filmmakers at the University of Southern California.
In 2015, he served as chairman for the amfAR gala, which became embroiled in a scandal after it appeared that several donors and their businesses were benefitting from the charity’s funds. Notably, some auction items came with conditions, including $600,000 raised at the event, which had to be donated to the American Repertory Theater, a nonprofit playhouse.
Meanwhile, the theater had already completed a trial run of Finding Neverland—which was produced by none other than Harvey Weinstein. Following investigations, several board members of amfAR resigned, and Weinstein vowed to donate $1 million to the charity to resolve the situation, including repaying the $600,000 he had previously reimbursed.
6. He’s Not Cutting For Fun
Editing films has become a standard practice in the industry. Viewers don’t have the patience for long, tedious films, and it’s clear that Harvey “Scissorhands” Weinstein is keenly aware of this.
When the animated Japanese classic Princess Mononoke was preparing for its US release, Weinstein was presented with a samurai sword by the production team of Hayao Miyazaki. A simple note attached to the sword read: “No cuts.”
Upon meeting Weinstein face-to-face, the legendary Japanese director found himself bombarded with persistent calls to trim his film before it hit US theaters. Today, Miyazaki’s works are released in the US in two versions: subtitled and dubbed. Miyazaki triumphantly remarked, “I defeated him.”
Harvey Weinstein, along with his brother Bob, is known for imposing their opinions on actors and directors. While their influence has undoubtedly resulted in numerous hit films, the true number of failures born from their interference remains unknown.
Directors such as James Gray, Guillermo del Toro, and M. Night Shyamalan have seen films that were once considered Oscar contenders fade into obscurity, allegedly due to the Weinsteins' reshoots, delays, or heavy edits that turned the final versions into something far removed from the original vision.
5. He Will Not Stop Until You’re Gone
Sydney Pollack was an acclaimed American actor, director, and producer, best known for classics such as Out of Africa and Tootsie. One of his final film projects before his passing was the co-production of the Miramax film The Reader, alongside his business partner Anthony Minghella. The release of the movie was postponed due to the untimely deaths of both producers—Minghella in March 2008 and Pollack in May 2008.
As the film’s release became increasingly urgent, Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein attempted to intervene, pressuring Minghella’s widow to allow him to join the editorial team in an effort to get the film out in time for the Oscars. While on his deathbed, Pollack managed to halt this interference, only for Weinstein to continue his pursuit, forcing Pollack’s grieving family to intervene.
Weinstein reportedly denied accusations of harassment and offered $1 million to charity if anyone could substantiate the claims of his misconduct. However, reporter Nikki Finke was able to do just that, producing a legitimate email from Scott Rudin, the director of The Reader, which confirmed Weinstein's actions.
In October 2008, Weinstein made the donation he had promised to the Robin Hood Foundation, stating, 'There’s been enough back-and-forth on this subject. I have nothing but a tremendous amount of respect for Scott Rudin, and it’s time to move on. This is my final statement on this matter.'
4. He Still Doesn’t Have A Star On The Walk Of Fame
Over 2,600 stars adorn the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In February 2017, Adam Levine, the frontman of Maroon 5, was honored with a star. Other notable producers with stars include Ken Corday, a five-time Emmy winner for Days of Our Lives, Brett Ratner, known for The Revenant and Black Mass, and Chuck Lorre, the creator behind Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory.
Stars are awarded through a simple application process after being nominated by fans. This easy procedure results in stars being given to a wide variety of celebrities. For instance, Shrek received his star in May 2010.
This raises the question: Why has Harvey Weinstein never been awarded a star?
Miramax and The Weinstein Company, his two major ventures, have achieved immense success in the film industry. The films produced or distributed by Weinstein have accumulated 341 nominations for prestigious awards, securing 81 wins. It seems that his professional reputation may have suffered due to his behind-the-scenes actions.
3. The Lannisters Send Their Regards
In addition to the numerous sexual harassment accusations from famous women like Rose McGowan and Kate Winslet, Harvey Weinstein accomplished the unimaginable: He made Cersei Lannister cry.
Lena Headey, the actress known for her powerful roles such as Queen Gorgo in 300, Ma-Ma in Dredd, and Queen Cersei in Game of Thrones, shared her experience of meeting Harvey Weinstein in a series of tweets on October 17, 2017.
When Weinstein made an advance toward Headey, she quickly made it clear that she would never be interested, comparing it to 'kissing [her] dad!' Years later, when Weinstein invited her to his room to review a script, Headey once again showed no interest, which supposedly angered him.
After a lucky mix-up with the hotel room's key card, Weinstein allegedly guided Headey through the hotel toward her car by 'grabbing and holding tightly' onto her arm. He then warned her not to tell anyone about what had supposedly occurred. According to Headey, she later got into her car and cried.
2. His Brother Has Also Been Accused
Given the circumstances surrounding Harvey Weinstein's current situation, it seems inevitable that his brother, Bob Weinstein, would eventually be dragged into the mud.
So far, there has been only one accusation against Bob Weinstein, made by executive producer Amanda Segel. She alleges that Bob repeatedly invited her to dinner and made sexual advances. At one point, according to Segel, he joked that 'he was her boss and could fire her if she didn’t agree' to meet with him again.
Bob Weinstein's attorney has issued a statement on his behalf, denying any wrongdoing. The lawyer has provided email correspondence between the two as evidence. Whether additional women will come forward remains uncertain.
1. There Have Been Whispers For Years
The infamous 2005 video of Courtney Love advising young actresses about Harvey Weinstein is now well-known. Before making her ominous statement, Love expressed concern over potential libel. She was subsequently banned by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for speaking out and has declined to comment further on the issue.
For years, subtle jabs at Weinstein have been made by others in Hollywood. Notably, Gwyneth Paltrow hinted at Weinstein's 'coercion' during an appearance on Letterman in 1998. In 2013, when Seth MacFarlane presented the Supporting Actress Oscar, he ended the announcement by saying, 'Congratulations. You five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein.'
On October 12, 2017, MacFarlane shared his thoughts on the incident, tweeting: 'This came from a place of loathing and anger.' In fact, warnings regarding such behavior can be traced back even further, with some allegations dating as far back as 1980.
One possible explanation for the rarity of concrete allegations is the presence of preventative measures at The Weinstein Company. The company requires its employees to sign contracts that prohibit them from speaking out against the company or tarnishing 'any employee’s personal reputation.'
