A Harvey Weinstein Accuser Speaks Out: Why Aren't Silence Breakers Getting Hired? (Guest Blog)

On October 11, 2017, I became one of the first women to come forward publicly about being abused by Harvey Weinstein. This week, I stood with my fellow Silence Breakers and watched as he walked into court to stand trial for his crimes. While we celebrate seeing our abuser finally held accountable in court, we’re also reminded of the sacrifices we’ve made in coming forward.

The doctor’s eyes bulge and their jaw noticeably drops: “Well, yeah, I’d say that is an example of unusual stress.” In the past two years, I have seen too many doctors to count about my chronic pain, cardiac issues, severe migraines, digestive difficulties and a nearly constant state of hyperarousal in my autonomic nervous system, which one doctor described as being “permanently chased by a bear.”

I explain to these doctors that, since coming forward about Weinstein, I have become a lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit and have faced severe career setbacks (I haven’t gotten an audition in over a year and a half), all while my health gets worse and worse. They immediately put two and two together: After almost 12 years, the stress, trauma and pain of first being abused by, then being terrified of, and lastly being slowly destroyed by Harvey Weinstein has taken a tangible and lasting toll on my health.

Also Read: Harvey Weinstein Trial Jury Selection Will Remain Public, Judge Rules

Before I met Weinstein, I was a young theater actor, eager to break into film and TV in New York City. I love kids so I worked as a nanny to make ends meet. It was in my capacity as a nanny that Weinstein’s assistants, unbeknownst to me at the time, spent an entire month grooming me in fancy restaurants over expensive breakfasts, repeating the importance of “discretion” before throwing me into the lion’s den to be sexually assaulted by one of the world’s most powerful men, wearing nothing but boxers and a grimy undershirt, locked behind a door, and the gates to his mansion.

As I tried to maintain composure and professionalism, he quickly went from attempting charm to screaming like a maniac to trying to talk to me about my acting career to asking if I’d ever use sex to get ahead and then ultimately grabbing me and pressing himself, including his nearly naked crotch, against me while whispering he loved me. It was one of the most shocking and unexpected moments of my life. It felt unreal, like I wasn’t even in my own body. (Editor’s note: A rep for Weinstein has not responded to requests for comment on Masse’s accusations.)

I was terrified. I never wanted to be in this situation ever again. I felt disempowered to protect myself. I pulled away from my promising career and stopped pursuing film and TV. I stuck with indie theater that I produced myself, with my friends, in environments I could control. All that time I invested in my career, starting young and ahead of the game, was wasted.

Also Read: Harvey Weinstein Scandal: A Timeline of a Hollywood Mogul's Downfall (Photos)

Several years later, I met my husband, Nick Afka Thomas, who became my closest collaborator, and suddenly I was making art, finding some independent success (getting millions of views with my sketch comedy duo We Are Thomasse), and felt my hopes for my career coming back to me. Upsettingly, it took having a man by my side to feel protected from potential predators.

Then, nine years after Weinstein abused me at that job interview, and days before I began rolling on my short film “Tristan & Kelly,” I read the first headlines exposing Weinstein and breathed a sigh of relief but also a gasp of shock. I wasn’t alone, thank God, but also how horrifying… This evil man spent three decades abusing countless women while the world around him either turned a blind eye or actively gave him a helping hand. Stories of agents knowingly sending young women like me to be abused, of him hiring spies and destroying careers, came to the surface and I realized my decade-long fears of having my life ruined by him were entirely warranted.

Surely now, though, things would be different? Weinstein lost his job. Powerful men were being toppled all over Hollywood. Everyone was saying #MeToo and Time’s Up! I thought the industry would finally be on the side of survivors.

Also Read: Harvey Weinstein Trial: Gloria Allred Allowed to Remain in Courtroom Despite Defense Motion

Alas, that was not to be. Two months after coming forward publicly, I started getting threats: I better shut my mouth… Casting Directors are calling… They’re angry… I’m being blacklisted. Things slowed down for a few months. I tried to brush it off. Then, despite the threats, I got an audition from the team at “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” a dream project for me. I put myself on tape and heard the feedback was good, but nothing came of it. That’s OK. Rejection is routine in this industry, so this wouldn’t be significant except that it ended up being my last audition. That was over a year and a half ago.

This is not normal. And I am not alone. In the two years since coming forward, I have met many fellow Silence Breakers and survivors from all walks of life. What I can tell you for certain is that all of us are facing damage to our health and most of us are experiencing damage to our careers. The Hollywood Silence Breakers — both household names and unknowns like me — have lost jobs, lost agents, been taken off of projects, had negative stories planted in the press and seen virtually all work or even auditions dry up for a year, two years, and counting.

In an industry that, on the surface, prides itself on being progressive and inclusive, it is clear we still have a long way to go. We’ve made strides in better racial and gender representation but the numbers are still staggeringly disappointing. The same goes for representation of those in the LGBTQ+ community or for those with disabilities (another area I am passionate about as an artist with invisible disabilities). But there is another group of underrepresented people that no one wants to talk about: survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Most of us have made huge sacrifices of our personal health, livelihoods and safety to prevent this violence from happening to others, for example by changing laws and pushing our unions to codify more protections. Yet, no one is asking what those of us who have already gone through this private and public trauma need in order to thrive rather than just survive.

Also Read: Harvey Weinstein Trial: Here Are the Key Players

For me, as an actor and award-winning writer and filmmaker in Hollywood, I have a simple answer that can apply to every industry: Hire us.

We are professionals. We are passionate. We are talented. We are ethical. We are brave. We are not “difficult” or “trouble makers.” The only people we make trouble for are abusers so only abusers should be afraid of hiring us. So I urge you, if you have any sort of power or platform or funding, bring us in for auditions, meet us for generals, give us pitch meetings, watch our directors’ reels, put us on your shortlists, interview us, pay us to consult on your projects that are based on us. Hire us. We have already suffered at the hands of our abusers. Do not punish us further for refusing to stay silent.

Our stories — not just of our abuses but the ones we have inside of us, bursting to get out, filled with creativity, humor, drama, and pathos — will make the world and the art we create better. We will make you lots of money and you will be doing the right thing. Instead of articles about the comebacks of our abusers we should be reading announcements in the trades with our names attached to new and exciting projects. Most of us have had our opportunities stolen from us either directly or indirectly by our abusers and their cronies. It’s time to right this wrong, to lift up those who have sacrificed so much, and to take tangible strides to clean up our industry while still cleaning up at the box office.

Justice comes in many forms. As we await the results of these criminal proceedings, let’s take action to create a more equitable world for survivors now. Join me in saying #HireSurvivorsHollywood and #HireSurvivors. This is a movement. Hollywood, and the world, cannot ignore our united voices.

I will continue to promote the skills and talents of myself and my fellow survivors because no one else is going out on a limb to help us reclaim our careers. We should never be ashamed of our skills and hard work. Lord knows our abuser was never humble or ashamed.

Harvey Weinstein Scandal: A Timeline of a Hollywood Mogul's Downfall (Photos)

Harvey Weinstein was once the king of the indie film world. But the Oscar-winning producer's career and reputation have imploded since fall 2017, when scores of women stepped forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct. Three years later, Weinstein is now a convicted rapist serving out a 23-year prison sentence in New York as he awaits another criminal trial in Los Angeles. Here's a breakdown of what has happened since 2017.
OCT. 5, 2017

The New York Times publishes a story revealing that Harvey Weinstein had paid financial settlements to at least eight women who have accused him of sexual harassment or assault. Actress Ashley Judd is the only accuser to go on the record, accusing the mogul of assaulting her in his hotel room. In a statement, Weinstein apologizes, vows to take a self-imposed leave of absence from his company, and bizarrely declares war on the NRA.
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OCT. 6, 2017

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, as well as other Congressional Democrats, donate campaign contributions they received from Weinstein to charity.
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OCT. 8, 2017

Weinstein is fired as CEO from The Weinstein Company.
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OCT. 10, 2017

The New Yorker publishes its own piece, written by Ronan Farrow, in which three women, including Italian actress Asia Argento, accuse Weinstein of rape. Through a spokesperson, Weinstein denies any account of nonconsensual sex.
Hours after the New Yorker article runs, the New York Times publishes on-the-record accusations of inappropriate behavior from Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.
Weinstein’s wife, the fashion designer Georgina Chapman, announces their separation that same day.
OCT. 11, 2017

BAFTA suspends Weinstein’s membership. AMPAS holds a special meeting to consider consequences for Weinstein’s “repugnant” actions.
Model and actress Cara Delevingne also comes forward on Oct. 11 to accuse Weinstein of making sexually inappropriate comments and harassing her.
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OCT. 12, 2017

The NYPD and London’s Metro Police both launch criminal investigations of Weinstein. On social media, Rose McGowan accuses Weinstein of raping her. (He has consistently denied engaging in nonconsensual sex.)
OCT. 13, 2017

Director Quentin Tarantino, arguably Weinstein’s greatest discovery, says he is “heartbroken” by the scandal. A petition to expel Weinstein from AMPAS passes 100,000 signatures.
OCT. 14, 2017

The AMPAS Board of Governors expels Weinstein. The Weinstein Company’s development slate falls apart, losing projects with David O. Russell and more. Release of Benedict Cumberbatch’s "The Current War" is delayed.
OCT. 15, 2017

Actress Alyssa Milano kicks off a cultural movement by encouraging women to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault on social media. She asks them to tag the stories #MeToo.
OCT. 16, 2017

The Producers Guild of America votes unanimously to terminate Weinstein’s membership.
OCT. 17, 2017

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy vows to start an industry-wide commission to create “protections against harassment and abuse.” Frequent Weinstein collaborator and filmmaker Kevin Smith vows to donate all of his Weinstein Company residuals to Women in Film.
OCT. 25, 2017

The Taylor Sheridan film "Wind River," which had a successful release by the Weinstein Company in August, excises the Weinstein name from its home video and streaming releases. Principal financier Acadia Entertainment buys the film back from TWC and self-funds an awards campaign. (It doesn't land any Oscar nominations.)
NOV. 6, 2017

The Television Academy bans Weinstein for life. The New Yorker runs a follow-up piece saying a battery of former Mossad agents and communications experts were used to silence stories of Weinstein’s impropriety for years.
NOV. 15, 2017

TWC is hit with a class-action lawsuit from several of Weinstein’s accusers. The company is forced to sell its live-action "Paddington 2" to Warner Bros. to help infuse the studio with cash and keep the doors open.
DEC. 6, 2017

The Academy announces its “standards of conduct,” which read, in part, “The Academy is categorically opposed to any form of abuse, harassment or discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, age, religion, or nationality.”
JAN. 1, 2018

#TimesUp is born as four female talent agents from CAA create a legal defense fund for women in the U.S. workforce to protect them from sexual harassment. The effort is announced and endorsed by contributors like Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Fox Film head Stacey Snider, Fox TV honcho Dana Walden, Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey, among others.

JANUARY 7, 2018

To draw attention to the mistreatment of women in Hollywood, virtually all women attending the Golden Globes wear black.

JANUARY 8, 2018

Immediately after he wins a Golden Globe wearing a #TimesUp pin, James Franco is accused of sexual misconduct by several women. The accusations, which the actor denies, come in the middle of the Oscar nomination voting period.

JANUARY 9, 2018

Lady Bird writer-director Greta Gerwig joins Mira Sorvino, Chloe Sevigny and others in saying she would not work in the future with director Woody Allen, who had been accused of sexual assault by his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow. (He has repeatedly denied the accusation.)
JAN. 10, 2018

Page Six reports that Weinstein and Chapman reached the terms of an eight-figure divorce settlement, with Chapman securing primary custody of the couple's two children.
JAN. 27, 2018

The Academy emails members to reveal the process by which violations of its code of conduct can be reported.
FEB. 6, 2018

“I may be a 75-year-old white male,” says Academy President John Bailey at the annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon, “but I’m as gratified as any of you that the fossilized bedrock of many of Hollywood’s worst abuses [is] being jackhammered into oblivion.” (One month later, the Academy would investigate -- and then dismiss -- accusations of sexual harassment against Bailey himself.)
FEB. 8, 2018

Los Angeles police send three sexual assault cases concerning Weinstein to the city’s district attorney for possible charges.
MARCH 19, 2018

The Weinstein Company filed for bankruptcy in Delaware, reporting that it had less than $500,000 in cash on hand. Dallas-based Lantern Capital Partners stepped up as a stalking horse bidder prepared to buy virtually all of the company’s assets for $310 million.

As part of the company's bankruptcy filing, TWC also released all of Weinstein's accusers from any non-disclosure agreements that would've prevented them from speaking about Weinstein's alleged misconduct.
MAY 8, 2018

Despite a last-minute bid from Broadway producer Howard Kagan’s Inclusion Media, a Delaware bankruptcy judge approves Lantern Capital's purchase of The Weinstein Company's assets.
MAY 25, 2018

Following a months-long investigation by the NYPD, Weinstein is arrested on three felony charges of rape and criminal sex act in connection with two female accusers. Weinstein pleads not guilty and released on $1 million bail pending trial.
MAY 30, 2018

Weinstein is indicted on charges of rape in the first and third degrees, as well as on charges of criminal sexual act in the first degree, as announced by the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Then on June 1, Three women filed additional charges against Weinstein in a class action lawsuit, saying that Weinstein isolated the women “in an attempt to engage in unwanted sexual conduct that took many forms: flashing, groping, fondling, harassing, battering, false imprisonment, sexual assault and attempted rape, and/or completed rape.”
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JUNE 5, 2018

Weinstein pleads not guilty to the charges in his indictment.
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JULY 2, 2018

A grand jury served Weinstein with three more sexual assault charges, an additional count of criminal sexual act in the first degree for forcing a woman to have sex with him in 2006, and two counts of predatory sexual assault. The latter charge carries a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of a life sentence. Weinstein would plead not guilty.
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AUG. 3, 2018

Weinstein made a push to have a New York judge toss out a criminal sexual assault case brought against him, saying in a filing that the Manhattan district attorney “failed to provide the Grand Jury with exculpatory evidence of the long-term, consensual, intimate relationship between Mr. Weinstein and the alleged rape victim.”
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AUG. 19, 2018

A report in the New York Times said Asia Argento paid a settlement of $380,000 to actor Jimmy Bennett after accusing her of sexually assaulting him when he was just 17. Argento denied the accusations. Rose McGowan distanced herself from Argento, and Weinstein issued a statement saying Argento displayed a “stunning level of hypocrisy.” “The sheer duplicity of her conduct is quite extraordinary and should demonstrate to everyone how poorly the allegations against Mr. Weinstein were actually vetted and accordingly, cause all of us to pause and allow due process to prevail, not condemnation by fundamental dishonesty,” the statement continued.
AUG. 30, 2018

Former NBC News producer Richard McHugh said that people at “the very highest levels of NBC” worked to quash Ronan Farrow’s Harvey Weinstein story that eventually published in The New Yorker. Then on Sept. 3, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack sent an internal memo saying that after eight months, Farrow's reporting “did not have a single victim or witness willing to go on the record.” Farrow disputed the memo and said NBC's list of sources was incomplete.
SEPT. 6, 2018

The U.S. Attorney’s office in New York opened an investigation into Weinstein’s involvement with the private spy firm Black Cube to see if he violated any federal wire fraud laws. Weinstein had hired Black Cube to gather information on those accusing him of sexual assault.
AUG. 26, 2019

Weinstein is indicted on two new charges of predatory sexual assault. He faces seven counts, including first-degree and third-degree rape.

The new indictment also allows for Annabella Sciorra to testify at his trial. Though Weinstein cannot be charged for raping Sciorra at her apartment in 1993, as she had said in a 2017 interview with the New Yorker, the actress’ testimony could strengthen the D.A.’s case against Weinstein.

The criminal trial, originally scheduled to begin on Sept. 9, is also pushed back to Jan. 2020.
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SEPT. 6, 2019

A judge grants the consolidation of charges against Weinstein, bringing the count back down to five. The consolidation, which was voluntarily requested by the district attorney’s office, dismisses prosecutors’ earlier charges of predatory sexual assault and essentially replaces them with the two new charges of predatory sexual assault that were included in the indictment last month.
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SEPT. 10, 2019

Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, the New York Times reporters who first broke the Weinstein story, publish their book "She Said," which chronicles their investigation into the mogul and the aftermath of their initial story.
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OCT. 15, 2019

Ronan Farrow publishes "Catch and Kill," his own recounting of reporting on Weinstein and the roadblocks he faced while trying to publish his work at NBC News. The book includes damning revelations about NBC News' leadership and a detailed accusation of rape against Matt Lauer. (Lauer has denied the accusation, and NBC News has repeatedly denied many of the details in the book.)
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DEC. 11, 2019

Weinstein and his accusers reach a tentative $25 million settlement. $6.2 million will be split between 18 women, with none of them receiving more than $500,000 individually. The remaining $18.5 million would be set aside as a pool of money for participants in a class-action suit against Weinstein, the New York Attorney General's civil suit, or future claimants. The $25 million is part of a larger $47 million settlement for TWC to close out its remaining obligations.
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Time's Up denounces the tentative settlement, describing it as emblematic of a "broken system that privileges powerful abusers at the expense of survivors."
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DEC. 11, 2019

After accusations of ankle bracelet tampering, Weinstein's bail is increased to $5 million.
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JAN. 6, 2020

The first day of Weinstein's criminal trial begins in Manhattan.

As court was convening, a group of "silence breakers" — including Rosanna Arquette, Rose McGowan, Lou Godbold, Sarah Ann Masse, Dominique Huett, Lauren Sivan, and Paula Williams — hold a press conference outside the courtroom to call on Weinstein to be held accountable for his actions.
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Just hours after Weinstein left the courtroom after the first day of his trial, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced new charges of sexual assault against the ex-mogul: one felony count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force, and sexual battery by restraint.

An arraignment date has not yet been set, but a spokesperson for the DA's office told The Wrap that they expect to wait until Weinstein's trial in New York is complete first.

Weinstein's bail is set to $5 million and, if convicted, he faces up to 28 years in prison.
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JAN. 7, 2020

The presiding judge denies the defense's request to delay the trial in light of the new charges in L.A.
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JAN. 17, 2020

The jury is selected for Weinstein's criminal trial. The 12-person panel includes seven men and five women. Three alternates are also chosen to sit in on the trial proceedings, should any of the chosen jurors need to be dismissed.
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JAN. 22, 2020

Prosecutors and defense attorneys deliver their opening statements and paint two very different images of Harvey Weinstein.
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JAN. 23, 2020

"Sopranos" actress Annabella Sciorra testifies that Weinstein barged into her Gramercy Park apartment around 1993 or early 1994, raped her, and then orally sexually assaulted her.

“My body shut down,” she said. “It was just so disgusting that my body started to shake in a way that was very unusual. I didn’t really even know what was happening. It was like a seizure or something."
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JAN. 27, 2020

Miriam Haley (née Mimi Haleyi), a former production assistant on the Weinstein-produced TV show "Project Runway," testifies that Weinstein pushed her down onto a bed, pulled out her tampon, and orally sexually assaulted her.
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JAN. 29, 2020

Dawn Dunning, a former aspiring actress now working as a costume designer, testifies as one of the prosecution's "prior bad acts" witnesses. Dunning says Weinstein put his hand up her skirt and touched her genitals in 2004 and then, later, propositioned her for a threesome with one of his assistants in exchange for movie roles.
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FEB. 24, 2020

After four days of deliberations, a New York jury convicts Weinstein of third-degree rape and a criminal sexual act, but finds him not guilty of the more serious charges of predatory sexual assault.
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MARCH 11, 2020

Weinstein is sentenced to 23 years in prison for his crimes.
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APRIL 10, 2020

The Los Angeles District Attorney adds another charge against Weinstein based on a new accusation that Weinstein sexually assaulted a third woman in 2010 at a Beverly Hills hotel. If convicted, he faces up to 29 years in prison in L.A.
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JULY 14, 2020

A judge rejects a proposed settlement between Weinstein's accusers and the bankrupt Weinstein Company. The proposed settlement would've included an $18.9 million victims' fund.
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JULY 29, 2020

An appeals court rules that Ashley Judd is allowed to pursue her sexual harassment claim against Weinstein in court.
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SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

Queen Elizabeth II strips Weinstein of his Commander of the Order of the British Empire title, which was given to Weinstein in 2004. The top U.K. title is typically given to someone who has made a great impact through their work but can be revoked if the person has "done something to damage the honours system’s reputation," according to guidance from the British government.
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OCTOBER 2, 2020

Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey announces six additional sexual assault charges against Weinstein, making for a total of 11 felony counts: four counts of forcible rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery by restraint and one count of sexual penetration by use of force. If convicted, Weinstein faces up to 140 years to life in prison.
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JAN. 25, 2021

A federal bankruptcy judge approves a settlement plan with the bankrupt Weinstein Company that will create a $17.1 million fund for Harvey Weinstein’s victims. The victims’ fund will be divided among more than 50 claimants and will resolve most of the sexual assault and harassment claims against the former producer.
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APRIL 5, 2021

Weinstein files an appeal to his conviction in the New York case. The 166-page appeal argues that a specific juror who had written a novel about “predatory older men” and the admission of prior bad acts witnesses affected Weinstein's ability to have a fair trial.
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APRIL 12, 2021

Weinstein is indicted by a Los Angeles grand jury on 11 sexual assault charges, his attorney reveals at an extradition hearing in New York's Erie County. The former producer's extradition to California is still delayed, however, due to some errors in paperwork.
Kena Betancur / Getty Images

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A chronological look at how the indie mogul’s career and reputation unraveled

Harvey Weinstein was once the king of the indie film world. But the Oscar-winning producer's career and reputation have imploded since fall 2017, when scores of women stepped forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct. Three years later, Weinstein is now a convicted rapist serving out a 23-year prison sentence in New York as he awaits another criminal trial in Los Angeles. Here's a breakdown of what has happened since 2017.

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BIO Sarah Ann Masse

Sarah Ann Masse is an actor, writer, filmmaker and comedian. She is an outspoken voice against the patriarchy and rape culture, a tireless supporter of survivors of sexual violence and is one of the many women to come forward about her abuse at the hands of Harvey Weinstein. Best known as the American half of viral British-American comedy duo "We Are Thomasse," she has recently won several awards for her romantic comedy "Tristan & Kelly" and has frequently collaborated with Grammy winner Jason Mraz. @sarahannmasse

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