Gwyneth Paltrow Played a Key Role in Harvey Weinstein’s Downfall

The actress was one of the first to come forward with allegations against the producer

Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow leaves the 'Four Seasons George V' hotel on January 26, 2016 in Paris, France. (Marc Piasecki/GC Images)
GC Images

Details about She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement, the new book by New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor have been trickling out over the past few days ahead of its release today (Sept. 10th), and among them is the revelation that Gwyneth Paltrow was instrumental in Harvey Weinstein’s downfall.

Twohey and Kantor first broke the Weinstein story — which served as a catalyst for the #MeToo movement — for the Times on Oct. 10, 2017. They appeared on the Today Show yesterday and discussed how Paltrow was one of the first women to talk to them about Weinstein and his crimes.

“Gwyneth Paltrow was one of Harvey’s biggest stars,” Twohey told Savannah Guthrie. “He had really kind of presented himself as kind of godfather to her over the years, so I think many people will be surprised to discover that when so many other actresses were reluctant to get on the phone and scared to tell the truth about what they had experienced at his hands, that Gwyneth was actually one of the first people to get on the phone, and that she was determined to help this investigation, even when Harvey Weinstein showed up to a party at her house early, and she was sort of forced to hide in a bathroom.”

Twohey said she believes the incident was meant to be an intimidation tactic. “I think Harvey Weinstein was extremely aware and extremely scared of what the implications would be if his biggest star actually ended up going on the record,” she said.

A spokesperson for Weinstein — who should probably give it a rest, already — responded to the allegations by telling Deadline, “Gwyneth Paltrow comes from Hollywood royalty. Her father was a top producer, her mother a famous actor, her godfather is Steven Spielberg. She didn’t need to make movies with Harvey Weinstein; she wanted to, and she won top awards and was the top paid female actor for nearly a decade, with Weinstein.”

Over 80 women have made allegations against Weinstein, ranging from sexual harassment to rape. In May 2018, he was arrested and charged on two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree and one count each of first-degree rape and third-degree rape. He is currently out on $1 million bail.

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