After Kate Beckinsale shared a story about how Harvey Weinstein had used a children’s playdate to corner her and screamed abuse including “you stupid f**king C**T” at her, some users began to blame her and criticise her for a number of things: for choosing to show up at his home, not speaking up sooner and making grander claims including “women in Hollywood will sell themselves for a chance to be a star.”
Beckinsale, who is known for speaking her mind on social media, has since responded to a number of commenters - explaining the complicated relationship she had with her former “boss” as well as why so many people were taken in by the convicted rapist in the first place.
She also blasted one commenter, saying “I think she thinks I gaily took my child to a known rapist's house.”
One user asked her, “Why did you show up is my question?”
In response, Beckinsale wrote, “He was my boss. He had not so far been abusive nor had I seen any evidence on the one movie i did with him. He couched it as a play date for our kids. I had no idea it wasn’t that or that I had done anything that could be perceived as wrong.”
As another fan stepped in to defend her and told her she did nothing wrong, Beckinsale added, “Oh I know. I think she thinks I gaily took my child to a known rapists house. I had no idea what was coming partly because the element of shock and surprise is one of the things he got off on.”
After another user questioned “why anyone would allow themselves to be put in one of those situations” and said “just leave” - Beckinsale responded, “I did. It still happened.”
Beckinsale also provided an insight into another aspect of Weinstein’s personality, after one user asked why so many people had at one time “glorified him.”
Beckinsale explained, “He was also very talented, could be funny, generous, creative. And then absolutely monstrous. If all abusers were just awful all the time I think it would be far less confusing and less painful.”
She then referenced serial killer Ted Bundy, who was known to be charming to his victims and was described as handsome - in spite of the fact that he killed 36 women.
Beckinsale said, “Ted Bundy took a minute to catch because he was also other things, you know.”
It took years for people to come forward about Weinstein publicly, though some of his accusers as well as Gwyneth Paltrow were working behind the scenes with journalists Megan Twohey, Jodi Kantor and Ronan Farrow - who later published exposes that helped to kick-start the Time’s Up movement.
Prior to his downfall, Weinstein was co-founder of the Weinstein Company and a 'super producer' with huge influence in Hollywood.
After one user criticised Beckinsale for not speaking out sooner or holding a “press conference” earlier to talk about Weinstein, Beckinsale said, “You truly don’t understand any of the dynamics or anything about this. I’ve tried quite hard to explain in the comments but your hatred of women is showing and it’s ugly and you are part of the problem.”
Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison following his conviction of a Criminal Sexual Act in the first degree and third-degree rape.
Beckinsale was one of many celebrities to celebrate the judgment, with The Good Place star Jameela Jamil congratulating “the incredible women who took this monster on” and Mia Farrow sending her thoughts to “every courageous woman who, knowing the risks, dared to come forward to speak their truth.”
