In a new interview with GQ, television personality Piers Morgan claims that he has spoken to disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and says that the producer, accused of multiple cases of sexual misconduct, thinks he will eventually be forgiven.
"I've spoken to Harvey in the clinic in Arizona, for about an hour," says Morgan. "He's a fascinating character. The apocalyptic symptom of the whole thing — the casting couch finally brought to judgement."
Harvey Weinstein Expects To Be Forgiven
In the interview, Morgan also expresses that sexual harassment has been the system "since Hollywood existed," adding that it's been the "moral cesspit" since the '20s era. He also points a finger at another Hollywood figure, Mel Gibson, but mentions nothing of Gibson's alleged improprieties.
Weinstein has been accused by dozens of women of sexual misconduct, ranging from harassment to rape. To this day, the producer denies all such accusations. The New York Times and The New Yorker have earned a Pulitzer for their reporting on Weinstein's actions, and a film adaptation in the style of Oscar-winning film Spotlight detailing the journalists' efforts to get the truth out is currently in development.
The producer has since been ousted from The Weinstein Company, the future of which remains uncertain. Police in London, New York, and Los Angeles are currently investigating the accusations against him.
Morgan thinks the world should not focus only on Weinstein but the other bad agents in Hollywood as well.
"[T]he idea that Harvey Weinstein is the only villain? Do me a favour," he says. The full interview with Morgan is in the June issue of GQ, out May 3.
TimesUp And MeToo
Whether Weinstein is eventually forgiven or not, the fact remains that Hollywood has become a much different landscape right now than it was in previous months. Now, producers, directors, actors, and other members of Hollywood that are in positions of power are much aware of two predominant movements — TimesUp and MeToo, both of which aim to end sexual assault and gender-based power imbalances in the industry to make a more inclusive Hollywood. The operative word here is "aware" — aware doesn't mean action and overnight change. Aware is only a small step forward. They're aware, yes, but whether they're going to do anything about it is the question.
The film industry is a complicated industry where people, mostly women, are exploited first before their careers can flourish, as if indecency is part of the deal. That's not even mentioning other crucial issues such as pay gap, whitewashing, and racism. The landscape is changing, yes, but suppose Hollywood does accept Weinstein again, what message does that send?
