Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Friday 20 OctOber 2017
In Weinstein’s wake, is Hollywood truly capable of change?

By LINDSEY BAHR “UTA will never be silent or
AP Film Writer complicit” and added that
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “That’s anyone who feels uncom-
how it works,” actress and fortable, threatened or ex-
director Sarah Polley recalls posed, whether client or
Harvey Weinstein saying to employee, is safe to come
her years ago in his office. If forward. “Our behaviors
she agreed to a “very close must model the highest
relationship” with him she ethics and standards,”
could go on to be a star Zimmer wrote. The Writers
and win awards, he said. Guild of America East also
He told her that a famous promised full support to
actress had once sat in her members who report ha-
seat and that her success rassment and assault and
was because of their “close said that it is reviewing its
relationship,” she wrote in procedures and taking
an essay for The New York suggestions from members
Times Saturday. Polley was on how the union can ad-
19 at the time and wasn’t dress the issue.
particularly interested in And Warner Bros. — the
being a star or continuing only major studio to re-
to act. “I was purely lucky spond to inquiries from The
that I didn’t care,” she Associated Press — issued
wrote. “That’s how it works” a statement saying that it
has been Hollywood’s dirty In this March 2, 2014 file photo, Harvey Weinstein arrives at the Oscars in Los Angeles. is, “committed to ensuring
little open secret for its en- Associated Press that our workplace is free
tire history, where men in the country and in many der settlements and non- have been few. from unlawful harassment
power have been able to industries, but the enter- disclosure agreements. The labor union SAG- and retaliation, including
prey on the dreams of star- tainment sector presents a Condemnation for Wein- AFTRA, which represents sexual harassment.”
dom of many young wom- uniquely difficult environ- stein’s alleged conduct has some 160,000 actors and The studio said that it re-
en. The quid pro quo sexual ment for reporting instanc- been nearly universal and media professionals was quires management level
harassment even got a es when those who work the fallout dramatic — he among the first to state that executives to participate
cutesy name: The casting there are essentially inde- was fired from his compa- it would do more to ensure in regular trainings and en-
couch. And yet Weinstein’s pendent contractors and ny, stripped of his Academy the safety of women in the courages employees to
downfall after a surge of freelancers. Oftentimes the of Motion Pictures Arts and industry and reminded of report concerns. “We are
accusations of sexual ha- harassment is coming from Sciences membership, and its Safety Hotline, where constantly reviewing our
rassment and assault from the top — a director, a pro- his Producers Guild status members can report safety policies to make chang-
women over the past three ducer, a CEO who is often is up for debate Monday. violations including harass- es and improvements as
decades, suddenly calls for considered more worth- But statements pledging ment and inappropriate or needed,” the statement
“change” are a common while to protect than the meaningful change and or aggressive behavior. said.
refrain from the industry’s accuser. And even when introspection from the insti- Jeremy Zimmer, the CEO of The majority of major stu-
most well-known names. accusations reach the lev- tutions that run the business UTA, one of the top agen- dios, agencies, manage-
But is meaningful change el of a lawsuit, they have a — from the studios to the cies in Hollywood, wrote in ment companies and
even possible in a business tendency to disappear un- talent agencies and guilds a memo to employees that publicity firms have been
that relishes in its own my- quiet, though. Ronan Far-
thology of ambition, ego, row’s article in The New
art and money that has Yorker described a “cul-
allowed and enabled sys- ture of complicity” regard-
tematic sexual harassment ing Weinstein’s behavior
for so long? Weinstein was at The Weinstein Co. and
a man whose aggression his former company, Mira-
and anger was turned into max. Many have called it
legend, whose bullying was an open secret that impli-
canonized, whose devil- cates every corner of the
may-care attitude attract- industry. Some say a posi-
ed the edgiest directors tive step could be to diver-
and whose companies put sify boards and leadership
out cinematic classics that positions. Cathy Schulman,
big studios wouldn’t dare a veteran producer and
touch. Outside of pub- president of the advocacy
lic accusations, does the group Women in Film be-
power structure in Holly- lieves the culture that en-
wood even want to disrupt abled the systematic sexu-
the way things work? al harassment by Weinstein
“Leadership has to come is the same that systemati-
from the top in stopping cally excludes women and
harassment,” said Chai people of color from posi-
Feldblum, the commission- tions of power both in front
er of the Equal Employment of and behind the camera.
Opportunity Commission. In this Jan. 29, 2017, file photo, SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris speaks at the 23rd Schulman is also looking
Sexual harassment is a annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. for the studios and talent
widespread issue across agencies to speak up. q
Associated Press