Rosanna Arquette, the actress-producer who became one of the first prominent individuals to publicly accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, says that the disgraced mogul should “absolutely” go to jail.
“I’m triggered today,” the actress told TheWrap CEO Sharon Waxman in an interview after the Sundance premiere of the documentary “Untouchable” about the former indie film giant who’s awaiting trial in Manhattan on five felony charges. (He has denied all criminal wrongdoing.)
“I’m hearing from a lot of the women. … Will we ever be OK? Is it ever going to be OK? Maybe when he goes to jail — please, can he go to jail?” she said.
Arquette also alluded to the lengths to which Weinstein went to protect himself from potential accusers like Arquette that are detailed in Ursula Macfarlane’s documentary. “But it’s like, ‘Wow, you spied on us, you spied on me, you spied on my life? Really?’”
Macfarlane, a British filmmaker whose previous documentaries have explored gun violence and the Charlie Hebdo attacks, agreed that Weinstein needs to face legal consequences for his actions. “Justice needs to be done,” she said. “There are too many people suffering. Closure of some kind is needed.”
She also noted that Arquette and other Weinstein accusers have opened the #MeToo floodgates to address abusive behavior by other men in power elsewhere in Hollywood — and other industries.
“The trauma that Rosanna is talking about, it’s not just this story. It’s worldwide,” Macfarlane said. “It’s Harvey Weinstein in every industry. And that’s why I feel very happy that maybe this film can say there’s such power in speaking out.”
The 66-year-old Weinstein is awaiting trail this spring on five felony counts, including rape and two counts of predatory sexual assault, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The charges involve accusations by two women, neither of them Arquette.
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