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After a special meeting that was held in Los Angeles on Saturday morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has reportedly expelled 65-year-old film producer Harvey Weinstein on sexual assault charges. There are over two dozen sexual misconduct allegations against Weinstein, with three of them being of rape. In its statement, the Academy Board said, “We do so not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over.”
Emphasizing on the problem being a deeply rooted one in the society, the Academy, further warned all its members that it should adhere to all the ethical standards of conduct, failing which they hold a similar fate of expulsion from the Academy. According to its bylaws, the 54-member board of the Academy needed two-third majority vote to expel the American producer. However, in this case the Academy reportedly had over and above the said majority limit. While Weinstein has apologised for his behaviour, he has denied all allegations of non consensual sex. If reports are to be believed, he is currently in Arizona, undergoing treatment for his behaviour. (ALSO READ: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Escaped Harvey Weinstein’s Sexual Advances, Claims Former Manager)
The move comes, two days after the Academy’s UK couterpart, BAFTA, expelled Weinstein stating that his behaviour was “completely unacceptable and incompatible with Bafta’s values”. Apart from Weinstein, the Academy has this far, in its 90-year-old existence, suspended only one other member, who was 83-year-old actor Carmine Caridi, for having violated definite written rules related to the sharing of screener copies of films in 2004. However, none other than Weinstein has been expelled for unethical, sexual or potentially criminal behaviour, even the likes of Roman Polanski, Mel Gibson and Bill Cosby who have had high profile sexual or domestic assault charges made against them.
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