The man who is dominating the news this week

Celebs react to Harvey Weinstein

You might not have even known his name before he became front page news everywhere: Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer who is being sued for unwanted advances and sexual abuse. Last Sunday, he was immediately fired from his position as CEO of the company he founded with his brothers in 2005: The Weinstein Company.

In 2003, Harvey received an Oscar nomination for his film Gangs of New York with Leonardo DiCaprio, and in 1999 he won an Oscar for his film Shakespeare in Love. Other major blockbusters under his name include Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting, Silver Linings Playbook, and Django Unchained.

The allegations surfaced last Thursday when The New York Times published an article by authors Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey after their discovery of at least eight legal settlements. Harvey's first response was as follows: ‘I came of age in the 60’s and 70’s, when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different. That was the culture then’, and his lawyer Charles J. Harder issued a statement claiming that much of what was said in the article in The New York Times was false and defamatory. And that’s when a can of worms was opened. Several women dared to share their distressing experiences with Harvey publicly for the first time, and other celebrities are also open and honest about their own experiences or opinions about the man who is dominating the news this week:

Donna Karan

There is currently a huge controversy surrounding Donna Karan, who seemed to defend Weinstein. During an interview at the CinéFashion Film Awards last Sunday, she said that some women ask for this kind of behavior when they present themselves sensually and sexually towards men. You understand: after such a statement, she received a huge amount of backlash (and rightly so). On Monday, she tried to rectify it all with an official statement in which she said that ‘inappropriate behavior is absolutely unacceptable and that this issue needs to be addressed once and for all’, but the damage has already been done and her brand is currently being boycotted by many.

Angelina Jolie & Gwyneth Paltrow

Both actresses have shared their experiences with the producer. Gwyneth was twenty-two when she was a victim of sexual harassment by Harvey, after she had agreed to star in the film Emma. He had summoned her to his hotel suite where he touched her and said he wanted to be massaged. ‘I was a kid, I had just gotten a contract, and I was terrified.’ Through an email, Angelina made it known that she had a bad experience with the producer in her youth, after which she decided never to work for him again and to warn others if they did.

Georgina Chapman

Through People Magazine, Georgina, co-founder of the brand Marchesa, announced that she has left her husband whom she married in 2007. ‘My heart aches for all those women who have suffered immense pain because of these unforgivable acts. I have chosen to leave my husband.’ She has also requested that the media respect her privacy and especially that of her children India Pearl and Dashiell.

George Clooney

George is one of the few male celebs from the film world who has already made a statement about Harvey. He says he cannot and absolutely does not want to defend the behavior and what he also struggles with is that Harvey is being condemned, but Donald Trump, who is also accused by multiple women, has become president. That ain’t right…

Jimmy Kimmel & Donald Trump Jr.

Jimmy also had something to say about the president when his son Donald Jr. tweeted that he hoped Kimmel would have something to say about Weinstein during his monologue so it wouldn’t be about his father for once. Kimmel's response? Brilliant. ‘Great – in the meantime, enjoy this!’ with the infamous ‘grab them by the pussy’ video of his father added.

, Mary-Kate Olsen, Eva Mendes, Kirsten Dunst

Oof, this girl dug her own grave. Last Tuesday, she shared the following about the situation on her Instagram account: ‘I feel very bad for Harvey Weinstein right now. He’s never harmed me or did anything to me – we’ve done several movies together. I think everyone needs to stop – I think it’s wrong. So stand up.’ Uhh, Linds, he may not have done anything to you, but what about all those other women who have been victims of his unwanted advances?

Ben Affleck

Besides George, Ben has also reacted to the allegations against the man with whom he made Good Will Hunting in 1997. ‘I am saddened and angry that the man I worked with has abused his power to intimidate, sexually harass, and manipulate many women for decades. The allegations of sexual abuse that I read about this morning make me sick.’ But after his statement, Ben Affleck is also under fire. Actress Rose McGowan claims that Ben is a liar and was aware of all the abuse, and One Tree Hill actress Hilarie Burton has stated that she was groped by Affleck during a broadcast of MTV’s TRL in 2003. Also Ben's younger brother Casey has been accused for years of sexual abuse on set, so one thing is for sure: this is far from over. To be continued…