Jessica Chastain has weighed in on the explosive Harvey Weinstein scandal, saying she has been well aware throughout her career of the ex-mogul’s reputation for sexually harassing women.
“I was warned from the beginning,” she said Monday on Twitter. “The stories were everywhere. To deny that is to create an environment for it to happen again.”
I was warned from the beginning. The stories were everywhere. To deny that is to create an enviornment for it to happen again.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
Chastain broke into the movie business with 2008’s “Jolene.” She has starred in two movies that were distributed by the Weinstein Company — the 2012 period drama “Lawless,” in which she portrayed the wife of Tom Hardy’s character, and the 2013 three-film collection “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.”
The actress addressed her involvement in Weinstein films in a pair of tweets responding to people on Twitter. Asked if she had done a Weinstein movie, she wrote, “No. He bought films that I already made.”
No. He bought films that I already made.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
Chastain also wrote that ‘Eleanor Rigby’ was distributed by The Weinstein Company “because the director wanted him, even after I spoke against it.”
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Because the director wanted him, even after I spoke against it.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
Chastain also tweeted her support of a Variety column by critic Maureen Ryan that emphasized the need for men to step forward against sexual harassment: “Yes. I’m sick of the media demanding only women speak up. What about the men? Perhaps many are afraid to look at their own behavior,” Chastain wrote.
Yes. Im sick of the media demanding only women speak up. What about the men? Perhaps many are afraid to look at their own behavior….. https://t.co/tGUsjUYNMR
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
The actress also thanked Kate Winslet and Mark Ruffalo for speaking out against Weinstein. Winslet said in a statement exclusive to Variety, “His behavior is without question disgraceful and appalling and very, very wrong.” Ruffalo wrote, “To be clear, what Harvey Weinstein did was a disgusting abuse of power and horrible. I hope we are now seeing the beginning of the end of these abuses.”
“You are a wonderful human being,” Chastain said in response to Ruffalo.
I ❤ #KateWinslet
She acknowledges the rumours and admits that the industry didnt do enough. This is how we create change. pic.twitter.com/hP0jTQxwpj— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
You are a wonderful human. 🌻 https://t.co/FploPFv9wF
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 8, 2017
TWC announced Sunday that it had fired Weinstein from the company he founded with his brother, Bob Weinstein, in 2005.
A rep for Chastain said she was not commenting further.
