After an emergency meeting Saturday morning, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has expelled Harvey Weinstein from its membership, effective immediately, the New York Times reports. Weinstein, whose decades-long position as a film industry titan abruptly collapsed over the last week as women came forward with allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and rape, has been closely associated with the Academy’s Oscar ceremonies since the 1990s, when he headed successful Oscar campaigns for Miramax films like Shakespeare in Love and The English Patient. Now, his lifetime membership has been revoked, after a vote by the 54-member Board of Governors that was, according to a statement from the Academy, “well in excess of the required two-thirds majority.”
It was a break from tradition for the Academy, which rarely weighs in on members’ behavior, and still counts Roman Polanski, Mel Gibson, and Bill Cosby among its members. The Times reports that only one other person is believed to have been permanently expelled from its membership: actor Carmine Caridi, who was kicked out for pirating movies back in 2004. “The era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over,” said the Academy in their statement.
Here is the complete statement from the Academy:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors met today to discuss the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, and has voted well in excess of the required two-thirds majority to immediately expel him from the Academy.
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.
What’s at issue here is a deeply troubling problem that has no place in our society. The Board continues to work to establish ethical standards of conduct that all Academy members will be expected to exemplify.
*Correction, Oct. 15, 2017: Due to a photo provider error, the caption to the photo accompanying this article originally misidentified Donna Gigliotti as Dianna Gigliotti.
