US studio fires Harvey Weinstein

Embattled Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has been fired from The Weinstein Company following his apology and a string of sexual harassment allegations.

Variety reports The Weinstein Company’s board of directors voted to remove him from the studio, leaving control of the company in the hands of his brother, Bob Weinstein, and chief operating officer David Glasser.

“In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company — Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar — have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately,” the statement reads.

The explosive New York Times report documented decades of legal settlements stemming from sexual harassment allegations levelled by former employees and associates, as well as accusations of improper sexual advances from actress Ashley Judd.

The allegations extend back to Weinstein’s days running Miramax, then owned by the Walt Disney Co.

His fall is the latest in a long line of entertainers and moguls, from Roger Ailes to Bill O’Reilly to Bill Cosby, who have been brought low by accusations of sexual harassment or misconduct.

Prominent actors such as Seth Rogen, Lena Dunham, Brie Larson, and Judd Apatow have voiced support for Weinstein’s accusers and have condemned him while prominent Democrats also distanced themselves from him.

Weinstein’s blockbusters have included Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, & Chicago while TV titles include Project Runway, Scream, Marco Polo & War & Peace.