“And the Oscar goes to Gwyneth Paltrow.”
Gwyneth Paltrow was only 26 when she won an Oscar for best actress for
“Shakespeare in Love.”
“I would like to thank Harvey Weinstein and everyone at everybody at Miramax films
for their undying support of me.”
The 1998 movie was her fourth with mega-producer and indie powerhouse Harvey Weinstein, who
back then was helming his studio Miramax and turning it into a Hollywood force.
Three years prior, another Weinstein actress won an Oscar.
Mira Sorvino was 28 when she took home the best supporting actress trophy for “Mighty
Aphrodite,” a movie produced by Miramax.
But their similar ages at the time of their Oscars aren’t the only things these two
women have in common.
Before either Paltrow or Sorvino reached this moment, both say they were sexually
harassed by Weinstein in hotel rooms.
Paltrow told the New York Times that it happened in Beverly Hills when she was 22 and about
to start filming “Emma.”
He allegedly put his hands on her and asked for a massage.
Sorvino told the New Yorker that while promoting “Mighty Aphrodite” in Toronto, Weinstein
started massaging her and making unwanted sexual advances.
Many other women -- from actresses to models, to assistants and interns -- have also shared
their stories of disturbing encounters with the famed producer.
Weinstein’s influence in the entertainment industry is remarkably far-reaching and touches
nearly every medium.
"Harvey Weinsteen!"
He has invested heavily in Broadway productions, even winning Tony Awards.
He’s produced hit TV shows like “Project Runway,” and of course, he’s a powerhouse
in cinema, helping turn young talent into stars.
"Harvey Weinsteen, who believed in us and made this movie."
From Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s breakthrough in “Good Will Hunting,” to Jennifer Lawrence's
Oscar for “Silver Linings Playbook.”
"Thank you, Jen, but you can stop kissing up to me for forgetting to thank me at the
Oscars."
To see the clearest indication of Weinstein’s impact on the film industry, look no further
than the Academy Awards.
"Harvey and Bob Weinstein came through."
"I want to thank Harvey and Bob Weinstein."
"Harvey Weinstein came in with Meryl Poster and they stood by and they believed."
"Harvey and Bob Weinstein."
"It was equipped by Harvey Weinstein and Lawrence Bender and David Linde."
The people who direct, write and star in his movies are a consistent and powerful presence
at the Oscars.
"No matter how I've tried, and I have tried."
Meryl Streep winning her third Oscar?
It was for “The Iron Lady,” produced by The Weinstein Company.
"I really want to thank all my colleagues."
Quentin Tarantino's first time holding the statue?
It was for “Pulp Fiction’s” screenplay, a Miramax movie with Weinstein as executive
producer.
"Thanks!"
The only man to have won the best actor award three times?
Daniel Day-Lewis started his record-setting award path with his role in “My Left Foot,”
produced by Miramax.
And the most coveted prize of all, best picture, is an honor Weinstein is quite familiar with.
He’s produced many movies that have been nominated, and in 2003 alone, he was involved
with four of the five best picture nominees.
The winner that year was “Chicago,” for which Weinstein was executive producer.
And that's just one of his movies to take home the award over the years, not to mention the
hundreds of other hit movies produced by Miramax and The Weinstein Company.
But all of this Oscar glory didn’t come without Weinstein’s brass-knuckled approach
to campaigning for his movies.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, he built relationships with members of the Academy
by personally calling them to chat about his movies, arranging dinners for them with the stars
of his films, and hiring Academy members at his companies.
Plus, he is heavily rumored to have started several smear campaigns against his competitors.
In 2002, for example, Vulture reports that Weinstein pushed for “In The Bedroom”
to beat “A Beautiful Mind” by tipping off reporters about alleged inaccuracies in
the movie.
"The other guy that we really need to thank, though, is Harvey Weinstein, who had the guts,
the courage, the commitment."
Now it seems, Weinstein’s long list of achievements and controversies at the Academy Awards is
only rivaled by the long list of women who have accused him of sexual harassment and,
worse, assault and rape.
"This was an ensemble film and it took an ensemble team to make it.
I want to thank, at Disney, Michael Eisner and Joe Roth who've given me great latitude
and great support.
At Universal, Edgar Bronfamn, Ron Meyer, Stacey..."