Following the outing of Harvey Weinstein as a top-level sexually assaulting creep monster, a lot of Hollywood’s top players–many of whom have Oscar magnet Weinstein to thank for at least some of their success–have remained silent. Some, like Meryl Streep and Judd Apatow, have spoken out, condemning him. But most have not. As of Monday night, only one of Hollywood’s 25 highest-earning stars has said anything. (Good job, Mark Ruffalo.)
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.
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 8, 2017
But it’s Jessica Chastain who is setting the bar for celebrities’ responses.
She’s been retweeting a bunch of stories, including ones praising Rose McGowan–who is also being incredibly outspoken about Weinstein and the responsibility Hollywood’s powerful players bear moving forward–as well as this one criticizing Matt Damon and Russell Crowe for allegedly shutting down a Weinstein exposé back in 2004.
Matt Damon and Russell Crowe reportedly helped kill a 2004 New York Times Harvey Weinstein article https://t.co/bjEoHZEHxT
— Vulture (@vulture) October 9, 2017
This is heart shattering https://t.co/xqgrH5Smgp
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
Teresa wrote earlier about how men in Hollywood need to step up and be real allies to the women in their industry. Holding these people accountable for sexual assault and abuses of power should not fall solely on women.
But Jessica Chastain has power here, as someone with some distance between herself and Weinstein, as well as someone with a good amount of clout. She has a number of films in development, including one in the X-Men franchise, which offers a large degree of professional protection. But she’s not the biggest star, and retweeting a negative article about powerful Hollywood players (maybe more powerful than Weinstein, who seems to be have been waning anyway) is most definitely a career risk.
Chastain has a history of refusing to hold back when criticizing industry sexism, abusive actors, and political attacks on women’s rights. (Though she has made mistakes, from which we hope she’s learning.)
So it’s not surprising, but still admirable, that she’s speaking out now.
Perhaps we shouldnt attack a woman for the crimes of a man? We're all learning & I admire this. What she has said here moves us forward.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
She opened up about her own relationship with & knowledge of Weinstein.
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
But she also spent time in the replies, answering people’s often accusatory questions.
It wasnt my story to tell. Its the victim's decision.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
No. He bought films that I already made.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
In response to someone who asked why she “let” Weinstein buy that movie.
Because the director wanted him, even after I spoke against it.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
She wasn’t even involved in this next conversation originally. She just wanted to add a voice to Team Anti-Abuser.
Not everyone.
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) October 9, 2017
(image: Columbia Pictures)
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