Kate Winslet Condemns Hollywood Sex Abuse... Sometimes

By Tony Shek, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

With the revelations that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein carried on like a gross misogynist pig for decades, actors and others are lining up to condemn him. Some of them are even sincere. Here's Kate Winslet's statement to Variety on the issue:

“The fact that these women are starting to speak out about the gross misconduct of one of our most important and well regarded film producers, is incredibly brave and has been deeply shocking to hear. The way Harvey Weinstein has treated these vulnerable, talented young women is NOT the way women should ever EVER deem to be acceptable or commonplace in ANY workplace.

“I have no doubt that for these women this time has been, and continues to be extremely traumatic. I fully embrace and salute their profound courage, and I unequivocally support this level of very necessary exposure of someone who has behaved in reprehensible and disgusting ways. His behaviour is without question disgraceful and appalling and very, very wrong. I had hoped that these kind of stories were just made up rumours, maybe we have all been naïve. And it makes me so angry. There must be ‘no tolerance’ of this degrading, vile treatment of women in ANY workplace anywhere in the world.”

As perhaps the most revered actress of our times, Winslet carries considerable star power and her views are important, so kudos for speaking up.

It's just that she took a very different tone discussing sexual abuse allegations a few months ago when asked how she felt about working with Woody Allen, in light of Dylan Farrow's revelations that he molested her as a child. Back then Winslet was falling over herself to hedge her bets and sweep it under the carpet - with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski too:

Of course one thinks about it. But at the same time, I didn’t know Woody and I don’t know anything about that family. As the actor in the film, you just have to step away and say, I don’t know anything, really, and whether any of it is true or false. Having thought it all through, you put it to one side and just work with the person. Woody Allen is an incredible director. So is Roman Polanski. I had an extraordinary working experience with both of those men, and that’s the truth.

Winslet's career is already well established of course; she can pretty much have her pick of whatever roles she wants, so it's not fear that would keep her from speaking out - on anyone (and I don't know whether "I need to protect my career" makes it okay, anyway). So is it that she knows something about Weinstein, has possibly been a victim of his harassment herself? Is she still hoping to work with Allen or Polanski in future? Is she just jumping on the get-Weinstein bandwagon now that he is officially Out Of Favour? Is Kate Winslet just a massive hypocrite? I don't know; but anyway, gross.