Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep condemned the alleged conduct that spurred scathing sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein as “disgraceful” and “inexcusable” — but insisted she knew nothing about the disgraced mogul’s disgusting behavior, according to a statement Monday.
Streep worked with the ousted movie mogul — who was fired from his Weinstein Company Sunday night by its board of directors — on the films “August: Osage County” and “The Iron Lady,” which earned her a third Oscar in 2012.
“The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported,” Streep said in a statement to the Huffington Post. “The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes.”
The 68-year-old actress denied knowing anything about Harvey’s alleged horndog behavior with female actresses and underlings, which reportedly included making them watch him shower, requesting massages and even masturbating in front of a TV reporter.
“One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew. Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally,” she continued. “I didn’t know about these other offenses: I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts.”
The lurid allegations, which spanned nearly three decades, were published last Thursday in an exposé by the New York Times.
Streep said that if “everybody knew,” she didn’t think the media “would have neglected for decades to write about it.”
“The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar,” she concluded. “Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”