Harvey Weinstein fired by Weinstein Co. amid harassment allegations

Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has been fired from the Weinstein Co. after multiple women, including the actress Ashley Judd, stepped forward to accuse him of sexual harassment.

The company’s board of representatives issued a statement Sunday that said, “In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company — Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg, and Tarak Ben Ammar — have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately.”

A New York Times exposé published Thursday chronicled “decades” of alleged harassment by Weinstein and said he “reached at least eight settlements with women, according to two company officials speaking on the condition of anonymity.” In the article, eight different women alleged inappropriate behavior from Weinstein, including claims that he appeared naked or partially naked in front of them, or asked for a massage.

Lisa Bloom, a lawyer then advising Weinstein, said Thursday that he “denies many of the accusations as patently false,” and Weinstein’s attorney Charles Harder said his client was preparing a lawsuit against the Times.

In a statement to the Times, Weinstein also apologized for “the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past” and cited Jay-Z’s album 4:44 as part of his desire “to learn about myself and conquer my demons.” He added that he planned to take a leave of absence from the company “to deal with this issue head on.”

On Friday, as the Weinstein Co. scrambled to contain the fallout, one-third of the company’s all-male board resigned, and the remaining board members hired an independent law firm to investigate the allegations.

In the wake of the Times bombshell, several prominent women in Hollywood — including Rose McGowan, Amber Tamblyn, and Lena Dunham — expressed support for those who came forward with the allegations. Meanwhile, many Democratic lawmakers disavowed Weinstein, a major party donor, and pledged to give his campaign contributions to charity.

Bloom announced Saturday on social media that she was resigning as an advisor to Weinstein, and added, “My understanding is that Mr. Weinstein and his board are moving toward an agreement.”