She Said (2022) - full transcript

(grand orchestral fanfare
playing)

♪ ♪

(birds chirping)

-Jump.
-(barks)

(shouting and yelling
in distance)

(shouting and yelling continues)

Hey.

DIRECTOR (over speakers):
And cut! Back to one.

(busy chatter)

-I'm still not entirely sure
how to. -(laughs)

You'll wake up very sore
tomorrow, I would say. Yeah.



The volume's on. You'll be
able to hear everything.

Um, so it's just gonna be
this one here.

Oh, yes,
maybe you were a bit down.

But if you turn that up there,
then you'll be able to hear.

And then all you have to do is,
like, press in to speak.

You'll get the hang of it.
It's pretty easy.

(chatter continues indistinctly)

(crying, panting)

(lively chatter)

(horn honks)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

I really want to.

But, you know...



You're scared.

Anyone would be.

Do you really think
speaking out might stop him?

I think it's really important

for voters to have this
information as they determine

whether he's fit
to be president.

What if he decides to sue?

Would The New York Times
be willing to help me?

News organizations
can't provide legal support.

You'd be on your own.

(quiet chatter)

♪ ♪

(busy chatter
in Arabic and English)

(line ringing)

MEGAN:
Hi, Rachel?

And you're definitely going
to write about Jessica Leeds?

Jessica is absolutely on board,
a hundred percent.

Okay.

I'll do it.

I'll go on the record
and say what he did to me.

You will? That's great, Rachel.

Thank you.

NEWSMAN (over TV):
...in New Hampshire,

asking voters there to reelect,
uh, the, uh, Republican senator

as a check and balance.

♪ ♪

-JODI: Violet, uh, no.
-(Violet fussing)

-Baby, Mommy's got to go
to work. -Mommy, Mommy.

You're gonna stay
with Daddy, okay?

Violet, Violet,
Mom's gonna go to work.

Come on.
Let's go see your animals.

-Come on.
-Talia, you're my hero.

Want to show me your elephant?

WOMAN (over earbuds):
Well, I know that

it's an amuse-bouche,
but, I mean, that's quite

an unorthodox approach.
Isn't that right?

MAN (over earbuds): It's really
simple. Um, I always put...

(siren wailing in distance)

MAN (over TV): We didn't find
any evidence of evil intent.

You can't obstruct
justice there.

(office and TV chatter
continues)

Morning, Jodi.

WOMAN (over TV):
But, you know, we know

where minorities are.

They might not be
as enthusiastic as they were

four years ago,
but we know where they are.

We know where young people are.

We know, uh, where,
uh, uh, single people are.

-(Megan sighs)
-Were you sick again?

Yeah.

It's meant to stop
after the first trimester.

You should probably
get some sleep.

Mm.

Mm.

I will, as soon as
I get a response. (sniffs)

From Trump's people?

What happens
if they don't respond?

They will, but we can't publish
until they do.

(speaking Hebrew)

-(phone vibrates)
-Hello?

TRUMP (over phone):
Is this Megan Twohey?

Yes, Mr. Trump.

I do not know these women.
They are lying.

And if I did something to them,

why didn't they go
to the police?

Jessica Leeds and Rachel Crooks
didn't ever say

that they knew you, just that
they were chance encounters.

TRUMP: The New York Times
has concocted these stories,

and if you publish them,
I will sue.

What about the leaked
Access Hollywood tape?

Do you do those things?

I don't do it.

I don't do it.
It was locker-room talk.

And, Mr. Trump, Miss Utah, she
claimed you forcibly kissed her

more than once when you owned
the Miss America pageant.

TRUMP:
She's lying. You are disgusting.

You are a disgusting
human being.

-(line clicks, beeps)
-(sighs)

NEWSMAN:
Several women speaking out,

accusing Donald Trump of
touching them inappropriately.

Jessica Leeds and Rachel Crooks

telling The New York Times
they were both

groped or kissed by Trump
without consent.

NEWSWOMAN: ...for a company
located in Trump Tower,

claims the billionaire
kissed her on the cheeks

and the mouth.

(gasps) Oh, my God.

Fuck. Rachel, I'm so sorry.

RACHEL (over phone): I went
on the record, you published,

-and this is what happened.
-(sighs)

MEGAN:
Yeah, I'm so sorry.

RACHEL: I was prepared,
you know? But not for this.

An envelope full of shit?

Was there anything
written on it?

No. What can I do?

-(sighs): Oh, yeah, fuck.
-I can't even leave the house.

Well, you-you need to
write everything down.

Tape any conversations
or voice mails.

You need to document
any threats that you get...

-Megan Twohey?
-Yeah. That's us.

MEGAN: I can't even imagine--
Shit. Rachel, I'm sorry.

I have to go.
I'll call you back, I promise.

-(sighs)
-(ringtone playing)

Rachel?

WOMAN: I'm calling from
Bill O'Reilly at Fox News.

Are you a feminist?

(sighs)

Are you fucking kidding me?!

I'm sorry. Hi. Hi.

ERIN BURNETT:
The final push

-till Election Day.
-(phone dings)

And as Hillary Clinton
and Donald Trump...

Oh. Bill O'Reilly's
talking about you.

(sighs)

O'REILLY (over laptop):
The Factor asked Miss Twohey

to appear this evening.

She declined, no surprise.

This is a tough forum.

She and Mr. Barbaro
did appear on

-other cable outlets
-(Megan sighs)

friendly to
liberal points of view.

We asked Miss Twohey
if she herself is a feminist,

-both on the phone
and in writing. -(Megan sighs)

She declined to answer
in both cases.

I'm gonna go get some noodles.

But here's what she said
about the article yesterday.

MEGAN (over laptop): You know,
our story is the experience

of many women,
going back over the years.

♪ ♪

(ringtone playing)

Hello?

MAN (over phone): I am going
to rape you and murder you

and dump your body
in the Hudson River.

(line clicks)

NEWSMAN:
This night is turning out to be

a real nail-biter.

NEWSWOMAN:
CNN can report that

Hillary Clinton
has called Donald Trump

to concede the race.

NEWSMAN: ...the winner
of the presidential race.

CNN projects Donald Trump
wins the presidency.

♪ ♪

NEWSWOMAN (over TV):
Breaking news on Bill O'Reilly.

Let's go to Julia Boorstin.
Julia.

BOORSTIN (over TV):
That's right.

Fox has just announced
that Bill O'Reilly is out,

saying, quote, "After
a thorough and careful review

"of the allegations,
the company and Bill O'Reilly

"have agreed that Bill O'Reilly
will not be returning

to the Fox News Channel."

Of course, this follows the
boycott of over 50 advertisers

of The O'Reilly Factor
after a New York Times report

of sexual harassment allegations

and the report that
Fox and O'Reilly together

spent about $13 million

to settle those allegations
from five different women.

-So, the story...
-Job well done, Emily.

Thanks, Dean.

And you, Mike.
Excellent reporting.

BOORSTIN: ...not be returning
to his top-rated cable show.

Are we talking solely
corporate misuse of power?

No, we're talking all workplaces

where sexual harassment
might happen.

Also, let's look
for the enablers.

Fox kept O'Reilly on

for quite some time
after our story broke.

And for decades before that.

EMILY:
The network only ousted him

when the advertisers
jumped ship.

Let's interrogate
the whole system.

Why is sexual harassment
so pervasive

and so hard to address?

(busy chatter)

JODI:
Hey, do you guys have a minute?

MATT:
Sure.

So, I spoke to Shaunna Thomas,

the head of UltraViolet,
a feminist group.

She said the wrongdoing
in Hollywood is overwhelming.

She's in touch with an actress,
Rose McGowan,

who has tweeted about
being raped by a producer.

Thomas says
it's Harvey Weinstein

and that McGowan is
now working on a book about it.

Wasn't he charged with
something couple years ago?

Yeah, um...

Ambra Battilana Gutierrez,
an Italian model.

She claimed Weinstein groped her
in a business meeting.

The NYPD investigated it,
but he was never charged.

Talk to Rose McGowan.

Try to talk to other actresses
he's worked with.

Yeah. And I'll try
to reach ex-employees.

JODI:
Hi. My name is Jodi Kantor.

I'm an investigative reporter
for The New York Times.

We're looking into sexual
harassment in the workplace.

I believe you were
an employee at Miramax

and worked for Harvey Weinstein
in the '90s.

WOMAN (over phone):
Are you recording this?

No, absolutely not, and I won't
quote from this conversation

without your permission.

But in your time as an
assistant, were you aware of

any instances
in which Harvey Weinstein

treated women inappropriately
or crossed a line?

Did Harvey cross a line?
(scoffs)

(line clicks)

Would you like to hear
her heartbeat?

-Yeah.
-Mm-hmm.

(fetal heartbeat pulsing
over speakers)

JODI: Mary, thanks so much
for calling me back.

MARY (over phone):
Who have you talked to?

I can't tell you names, just as
I would never divulge yours,

but if you wanted to share
anything that you know,

that would be so helpful.

I don't think
people will want to talk.

Sorry.

(line clicks)

(laughs)

JODI: Ms. Godrèche, thank you
so much for responding.

JUDITH:
Before you continue,

I've talked about Weinstein
in the past, but it's private.

My immigration lawyer does not
want me to be involved.

(line clicks, beeps)

Involved in what?

(line ringing)

-ROSE (over phone): Hello?
-Oh, hi, Rose.

Um, this is Jodi Kantor
from The New York Times.

I wrote you an email.

Shaunna Thomas suggested
you might be willing to have

a conversation with me
about Hollywood,

and specifically
Harvey Weinstein.

-Are you writing about him?
-Yes, I am.

Look, I don't feel that inclined
to talk to you about it.

JODI:
Could I ask why not?

ROSE:
I've been treated quite shabbily

by your paper numerous times,

and I believe
the root of it is sexism.

I'm sorry
that was your experience.

I've talked in the past,
and nothing happened.

I spoke at
a political meeting recently,

and The New York Times
put it in the Style section.

It does damage to shout,
and no one listens.

I'm investigating
systemic sexism in Hollywood.

How many pages have you got?

No.

I put myself on the line before,

and it made no difference.

I've written about the
workplace at Amazon, Starbucks

and Harvard Business School,
and change did happen.

They reformed their policies

as a direct result
of the Times articles.

But if you don't want to talk,
I understand.

And good luck with your book.

Thank you. Goodbye.

RON:
I spoke to Dad.

He sounded worse.

I got to go see him soon.

Could you go for a long weekend?

You could take the girls.

I could take Talia
but not both of them.

(sighs)

I'm having an affair.

With a very famous actress.

You want her number?

(chuckles)

-She's so hot.
-(laughs)

This looks beautiful.

-You'd really like her.
-(laughs)

"I am a nasty woman.

(crowd cheering)

"I'm not as nasty

as using little girls like
Pokémon before their bodies..."

-Is that Ashley Judd?
-Yeah.

She wrote about
being sexually harassed

by a producer in the '90s.

She doesn't name him,
but she describes him as

"one of our industry's most
famous admired/reviled bosses."

Mm.

"...sexual assault, transphobia,

"white supremacy, misogyny,

-ignorance, white privilege."
-(Violet crying in distance)

-I'll go.
-I'll get her.

-TALIA: Mom!
-(chuckles)

-We'll both go.
-Yeah.

(voice breaking):
I don't know if I can do this.

(sobs softly)

VADIM:
You need to rest.

You try to sleep, maybe?

I don't want to be... (sighs)

I just have
this constant sense of dread.

(sobs)

You're tired.

Your body's exhausted.

(Megan sighs)

I think I would know
if it was just that.

(sighs)

-(phone vibrating)
-Mom.

Hello?

ROSE (over phone):
It's Rose.

-McGowan.
-Rose, hi.

It's not just him
you should be after.

There's an entire machine,
a supply chain.

Of abusers in Hollywood?

Right.

They're worldwide,

wherever movies are
being made or sold.

Each studio does
the victim-shaming and payouts.

If white men could have
a playground, this would be it.

Do people know about it?

Of course.

I told a lot of people
what happened to me.

At the Sundance Film Festival?

I was 23. I was doing all these
brilliant independent films.

I was just incredibly hopeful.

(door opens)

-And then I went
to that hotel room. -Hi.

(whispering)

(door closes)

RON:
Talia?

-I'm here.
-(door closes)

ROSE:
He was on a sofa,

talking loudly on his phone.

I waited.

And then
we talked about projects,

and he suddenly said,
"I have a Jacuzzi in my room."

I didn't know
what the answer to that was,

so I just kept talking.

We wrapped up,
and he said he'd walk me out,

and I thought,
"Well, that went well."

It was my first big meeting.

He walked behind me
down a hallway, then he said,

"This is the Jacuzzi room."

And I looked in,
and he pushed me inside.

He stripped me,
and he was suddenly naked.

I left my body in some way.

And he raped me.

I went into survival mode to
get out, and I faked an orgasm.

He told me to get dressed.

He left me messages telling me
I was his new special friend

and that he'd done a lot
for other actresses.

Did you report it?

Can you see the law
taking my side on that?

But you told other people?

I told a lot of people,
and nobody did a thing.

Nothing.

Can I contact
the people you told?

You told me this was private.

He'll have spies
watching you now, as we speak.

I hope you know that.

♪ ♪

-(shushes)
-(phone vibrating)

(baby fusses quietly)

Hello?

JODI (over phone): Hey, Megan,
this is Jodi Kantor.

Is this a bad time?

Uh... um, no.

-It's fine.
-(baby cooing)

JODI:
Oh, I hear her.

How's it all going?

Yeah, it's, um...

I just got her down.

JODI: It's the toughest part,
I think.

MEGAN:
Is it?

JODI:
I found it to be so.

With my first daughter,
I had postpartum depression.

Everyone's so excited,

and it's like...

you're just not there.

MEGAN:
Right.

(sighs)

So, I got your email.

How's it all going?

Yeah. (laughs)

I feel like there are
a lot of women who have...

been through something with him.

But they find it hard to talk.

And those who do talk to me
don't want to go on the record.

In your previous stories,

how did you persuade women
to tell you

what had happened to them?

Yeah, so...

It's difficult.

They're terrified.

A case I made was,

"You know, I can't change what
happened to you in the past,

"but together we may be able
to use your experience

to help protect other people."

The truth, basically.

But yeah.

It's hard to ask women to talk.

-(busy chatter)
-(phones ringing)

ASHLEY JUDD:
Then he asked me to meet him,

uh, really early.

And I had been up all night
filming, and I was tired.

I went over to The Peninsula
Hotel, and at reception,

I asked, "Is Mr. Weinstein
in The Belvedere restaurant

or is he on the patio?"

And they said, "Go to his room."

(over laptop):
And I went upstairs,

and Harvey was in his bathrobe.

And he asked if
he could give me a massage.

"No," I said.

And then, um, he asked me

to help him pick out
his clothes for the day.

He, you know, started asking
for all these things,

increasingly more sexual,
getting closer and closer.

And I just said no
so many different times

and in so many different ways.

And then he finally, um, asked
me to watch him take a shower.

And I said, "Harvey,

"when I win an Academy Award
in a Miramax movie,

I will give you a blow job."

And I got out of there fast.

What did you do?

I told my dad, I told my agent,

I told the people with whom
I was filming that night,

and Harvey punished me.

I mean, he blackballed my career

because I had the wherewithal
to refuse him.

How do you know that?

I would be standing
with other actresses,

and he would blank me.

There were roles
for which I was up

that I mysteriously did not get,

and I know today that it was
Harvey making a phone call.

You know I did an article about
it, and nobody did anything.

You didn't identify him,
but did industry people know

who you were talking about
in your article?

Absolutely.

And the abuse came raining down
on me, not on him.

You know at the Women's March

when I did
the "Nasty Woman" poem?

I lost a huge advertising gig
because a small group of people

complained that I was
quoting the president.

He used that language
and got elected.

I quoted him, and I got fired.

It is decades later,
and it's still the same sexism.

And, Jodi, I would make
the same choices all over again,

but I also would like to work.

JODI: Lisa Bloom, the lawyer,
she wrote to me.

-Gloria Allred's daughter?
-Yeah.

-Do you know her?
-No.

But I assume she wants to help.

I forwarded the email to Emily.

(busy chatter)

WOMAN:
I'm looking at it right now.

Yeah.
This is straight from legal.

EMILY:
Jodi? Lisa Bloom.

"Big announcement:

"My book, Suspicion Nation,
is being produced

by Harvey Weinstein and Jay-Z."

Weinstein is producing her book?

EMILY: Lisa Bloom,
daughter of feminist icon,

is working with
Harvey Weinstein.

But why would she do that?

How much do you get paid
for a miniseries?

He's got to be behind
Lisa reaching out to you.

So Weinstein knows
what we're doing.

-(traffic rumbling)
-(horns honking)

Sorry.

MATT: Do you want
to keep going with Trump?

REBECCA: Or you could join Jodi
and look into Harvey Weinstein.

(chuckles)

I worry about
whether it makes a difference.

These women spoke out
against Trump,

and he still became president.

But in the wake of O'Reilly,
there's possibility.

-(phone vibrating)
-Sorry.

Craig. I've been trying
to reach you.

(sighs)

You've got to show up.

How's your daughter?

(chuckles) She's great.

Oh, s-- um...

Sorry. I, um...

Thank you
for the gift you, um...

Is anything bothering you?

Besides no sleep
and diapers everywhere.

Are you okay?

(softly):
I found it quite...

difficult.

I'm sorry.

Will working help?

Yeah. Yeah.

Absolutely.

It's better now.

(busy chatter)

MAN:
Megan.

(chuckles):
Hey.

MEGAN:
Are they all famous?

JODI:
Most of them, yes.

I guess my question
is just, like:

Is this the best use
of our time?

Like, as opposed to

other people we could
potentially be covering.

People who can't speak out.
Actresses already have a voice.

But they could also fear
being punished

by the film industry
for using it.

Sure.

But what is it exactly
that we're looking at here?

We're looking at extreme sexual
harassment in the workplace.

These young women walked into

what they all had reason to
believe were business meetings

with a producer, an employer.

They were hopeful.

They were expecting a serious
conversation about their work

or a possible project.

Instead, they say he met them
with threats and sexual demands.

They claim assault and rape.

If that can happen
to Hollywood actresses,

who else is it happening to?

Do you think his employees
were targeted, too?

I do.

I could search for any police
complaints against Miramax.

Or court records.

Should I?

Yes.

MEGAN:
I found records of a complaint

against Miramax from 2001,

but the report was closed out
the same day it was made.

It says, "complainant elected
court action,"

but then
no court documents exist,

which seems inconsistent.

Do you have
any more information on that?

WOMAN (over phone):
No, those records

would have been destroyed.

Really? Why?

It's agency policy.

All records are destroyed
after three years.

Why is that?

As I said, it's policy.

So could you please tell me

who filed the
sexual harassment complaint?

No, I cannot.

-Because?
-It's policy.

We are prohibited
from giving you that name.

Is that everything?

This is very important.

It's about someone who's still
very powerful in the workplace.

Who could still be
harassing someone.

Is there any way
you can help me?

You could ask me the name
of the government investigator

who was assigned the case.

I could give you
that information.

-Just a name.
-Thank you.

MEGAN: I've made 20 calls
to track this investigator.

What did Lisa Bloom say?

JODI: She just talked as though
he was kind of naughty.

She was talking to me
kind of Jew-to-Jew

and including Weinstein
in the gang.

Oh.

I had a long conversation with
Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner.

They want to help,
and they have so many numbers.

Amazing.

Did you know them before?

(laughs) I don't know anyone.

-In April, when I started...
-(ringtone playing)

-Mm.
-...I was literally leaving...

It's the investigator.

Hi. This is Megan Twohey.

Thank you
for getting back to me.

MAN (over phone):
Sure. How can I help?

Do you remember the case?

There are hundreds
of sexual harassment cases

at that agency.

This one was brought to you,

and then it was closed
very quickly.

That's not unusual.

It was filed against Miramax.

What's Miramax?

(sighs)

LISA: Harvey, I've read
the thorough reports,

and Rose comes across as
a disturbed, pathological liar.

Clearly, she must be stopped
in her ridiculous,

defamatory attacks on you.

She is dangerous.

You are right to be concerned.

I feel equipped to help you
against the Roses of the world

because I have represented
so many of them.

I'd like to meet with you
to go over this in some detail.

You should be the hero
of the story, not the villain.

Best, Lisa Bloom.

I'm trying to get ahold
of this assistant

who worked at Miramax
in her early 20s.

One day, she just disappeared.

All she left are her
running shoes under the table.

I haven't been able
to find her yet,

but her mother lives in Queens.

I thought I'd just show up.

♪ ♪

(doorbell rings)

Hi.

-Hello.
-Hi. (stammers)

I was expecting your mother.

Oh, I'll go get her.
Who should I say...

No, it's... it's actually--
You're the one I wanted to see.

Excuse me?

My name is Megan Twohey.

I am an investigative reporter
for The New York Times.

Would it be okay if...

Go back upstairs.
Go see Abuelita.

Could we talk for a minute?

About your time at Miramax?

(chuckles softly)

I can't believe you found me.

I've been waiting for this
for 25 years.

I would, I would love the chance

to ask you a couple questions.

What do you know?

That you were at
the beginning of your career

and doing well.

And that something happened.

And then you disappeared.

And that your father
threatened legal action.

(sniffles)

(smacks lips, sighs)

All I can tell you is that...

...I had a business dispute
with Miramax.

It was resolved.

Amicably.

And we've agreed
not to discuss it.

I'm...

I'm so glad to meet you anyway.

(inhales deeply)

-So...
-(sighs)

...it was resolved?

Yeah. It was.

(sniffles)

There are women
who have had settlements,

and they're bound to silence,

but we have written around them.

There are ways to report
around that restriction.

The source can remain anonymous.

(exhales)

(inhales sharply)

I should go back in.

Look, I'm-I'm sorry.

I've thrown a curveball into
your trip to see your mother,

and, uh, I don't want
to keep you from your family,

but would it be okay if I...
if I gave you my number?

MEGAN: She was terrified, Jodi,
but she wants to talk.

She really does.

JODI (over phone):
Really? That's incredible.

Listen, Gwyneth Paltrow called,
and she told me about

an incident
at The Peninsula Hotel.

The Peninsula? What the fuck?

Exactly.
Where Ashley went to meet him.

-Shit. What happened?
-(line beeping)

Fuck. It's her. I have to go.

Hi.

EX-ASSISTANT (over phone):
Megan, we just spoke.

I'm sorry, but it's a no.

But good luck. Honestly.

(line clicks)

♪ ♪

TALIA:
So, if you sign it,

you don't tell anyone
about anything?

JODI:
Yeah.

It could've been bullying, or
sometimes it's just a big shop,

and they don't want you
to tell their trade secrets.

Did you sign one?

(chuckles)

No.

So, shops have secrets
but newspapers don't?

I think pretty much everyone
and everything has a secret.

-What's yours?
-(chuckles softly)

I will tell you one day.

-Do you have one?
-Of course.

Course I have a secret.

-So what are you saying?
-So we take a drive through

-the redwood, huh?
-Beach? Mountain? Spa?

(man and woman continue
talking indistinctly)

♪ ♪

(doorbell rings)

-Hello?
-John Schmidt?

-My name is Megan Twohey.
-Yeah?

I'm a reporter for
The New York Times.

-Would it be possible to speak
for a moment? -Oh.

Uh, come in.

I can't see
what you'd want from me.

MEGAN: You were the chief
financial officer at Miramax.

The women who received
these settlements,

they can't speak out.

They'll be sued if they do.

But if someone could
speak freely about the payouts,

that would be hugely helpful.

What payouts, John?

Look, I'm not asking you
to go on the record.

Just to have your perspective

on what might've happened
back then.

I need to think about it.

-Okay?
-Okay.

Sorry just to show up.

-(door opens)
-Good night.

-JOHN: Good night.
-(door closes)

(John breathes heavily)

♪ ♪

MEGAN:
Hi, hi. Can you hear me?

-WOMAN (over phone): Yes.
-MEGAN: Uh, I really appreciate

you talking to me on a Saturday.

WOMAN:
I hope the links were useful.

They were,
but I-I find it very strange

that if I want to access
certain information, I can't.

The EEOC is
all about information.

What could you not find?

MEGAN: Well, for instance,
which companies

have had the most
sexual harassment complaints,

but no one was permitted
to tell me that.

Yes, that would be
confidential information.

But do you think that's right?

Shouldn't the Equal Employment
Opportunities Commission

be a resource for information?

WOMAN: Our policies
are reviewed annually.

So do you know internally

which companies have
the most complaints?

Yes, we do,

but we're not allowed
to disclose that information.

So any woman applying for a job
is not allowed to check

the record of that employer
in terms of harassment?

That's right.

You-you should probably
talk to someone higher up.

(scoffs) I-I'm... I'm going to.

I will, but don't you think
that's strange?

That the commission is there
to protect people

but its policy prohibits
sharing the information needed

to protect them?

Megan, I'm not
the head of the EEOC.

I was just trying to help.

And you, and you have.
And it's the weekend.

-I really thank you.
-Okay.

-Okay. (sighs)
-Goodbye.

(whispers):
Oh, my gosh.

Amazing.

Incredible.

Mira or the Equal Employment
Opportunities Commission?

(chuckles)

-Both.
-(clicking tongue)

-Hi.
-Hi.

(both laugh)

-We're like reporting twins.
-Yeah.

-Should I go up and change?
-No, let's go.

-You look amazing.
-Nice.

(both laugh)

(birds chirping)

-Hi. How was your ride?
-Hi. -Hi.

-Yeah, it was...
-Great.

-(chuckles)
-It was good.

I'm Helen.
I'm Gwyneth's assistant.

Gwyneth will be right with you.

Thank you.

So it's a total pattern,
a pattern of behavior.

Gwyneth was invited
to the hotel room,

the business meeting,
and then threatened with

losing her job
if she refused him.

She told her agent.
No one does a thing.

REBECCA (over phone):
Will Gwyneth go on the record?

She really wants to.

I-I think she does
and she doesn't.

She's scared
that it could turn into

some kind of
tabloidy sex scandal.

I mean, Gwyneth was 23.
So was Rose.

They were so young.

Tell me everything
when you get in.

Okay. Bye.

(sighs)

The only way these women
are gonna go on the record...

Is if they all jump together.

Yeah.

(doorbell rings)

You take the lead on this.

No, you do it.
You're less intimidating.

You don't find me intimidating?

No, I mean--
No, it's just the height thing.

-(lively chatter inside)
-Hi.

Hi. We were just
in the neighborhood.

We're from The New York Times.

I believe you used to work
for Harvey Weinstein?

-Think she'll go on the record?
-(chuckles)

Okay. I'm just gonna...

You want to leave the note?
Yeah.

♪ ♪

The NDAs are never examined
or questioned.

They rarely come up
in open court.

Law schools don't teach them.

Also, the attorneys
who represent the victims

can get up to 40%
of the settlement.

That's a big incentive
to keep that system going.

Most sexual harassment cases
are settled out of court.

And most of them have
a confidentiality clause.

And the women who sign these
contracts have to give over

all of their evidence:
their diaries, emails, phones.

It's cash for silence,

and it enables the perpetrators
to continue.

MEGAN: And these clauses
are standard practice.

The women want
to close the case.

They need the money. They...

They don't want to be branded
as liars or flirts.

I mean, I'm sure it-it often
seems like the only recourse.

And I imagine some women
see these settlements

as a confession of guilt.

They think
they've scored a victory

when it's actually a gag order.

And if you try and take a case
like this to court,

the sexual harassment laws
are so weak.

They're actually nonexistent
if you're a freelancer

or if there are fewer than
15 employees in the workplace.

Also, most lawyers
prefer settlements

'cause it's less of
a financial risk for them.

How close are
any of these actresses

to going on the record?

We're introducing the idea.

I'm afraid we have these
horrific hotel room accounts

and no corroborating evidence.

We feel they'll speak out
if they're not the only ones.

Safety in numbers.

And settlements?

Three. So far.

There's Rose McGowan.

We're pretty sure about
Ambra Battilana.

And I would say the same for
the ex-assistant in Queens.

And no documents?

We do not have
a publishable story.

Hey.

DEAN:
So, look, team.

You have to imagine
that every call you make

is being recorded.

And you're being followed.

Don't let Weinstein talk to you,
unless it's on the record.

I'd be interested in talking
to him even off the record.

No, if Harvey has
something to say,

he needs to say it publicly.

I've dealt with him before.

It's ugly.

MEGAN:
We're looking into the incident

with Ambra Battilana Gutierrez.

She accused Weinstein
of groping her.

The NYPD gave her a wire,
and she met him again.

JODI:
But the D.A. wouldn't prosecute.

They claimed the recording
wasn't enough to arrest him.

MEGAN: Linda Fairstein
worked in the D.A.'s office.

I've texted her.

Linda, Megan Twohey here.
How are you?

LINDA (over phone):
I'm good, Megan.

How can I help?

Yeah, I'm looking into
a police complaint

against Harvey Weinstein that
wasn't charged two years ago.

When you were
at the D.A.'s office.

Ambra Battilana Gutierrez.

Oh. Okay.

It seemed to go away
very quickly.

There was
no criminal conduct there.

The cops seemed
pretty confident there was.

Do you think
there was anything irregular

about how it was handled?

I don't.

Why would you say that?

-(ringtone playing)
-(siren passing)

Gwyneth.

GWYNETH (over phone):
He's here.

I invited a few people over,
and he turned up.

I haven't seen him for years.

He must know I spoke to you.

Why are you so certain
there was no criminal conduct?

Wasn't there a recording?

Uh...

I don't think
there's a road to go down.

No.

Do you feel like you're in
physical danger at all?

GWYNETH: I'll keep people
around me till he goes.

It's a shock.
I know he's watching me.

He's letting me know.

He can't do anything.

Gwyneth.

I'm here.
Call me if you need me.

Okay. Bye.

Linda, do you know Harvey?

I've met him socially,

but we've never been
to each other's homes.

Okay.

-I'm sure we'll speak soon.
-Yes.

Goodbye.

We got a good lead to talk
to a past executive at Miramax.

-Great. When will that be?
-MAN: Hey. Hola.

Jodi's talking to her tomorrow.

MAN 2: Hey, I don't think
she heard you.

She definitely didn't hear you.

-Oh, my God.
-What?

Ronan Farrow is working on

an H.W. piece
for The New Yorker.

What? Since when?

-Fuck.
-JODI: She doesn't say,

but apparently he's spoken
to a lot of actresses already.

WAITRESS:
Okay, ladies.

These are the menus.

-Thank you. -All right.
-REBECCA: Thank you.

It's pressure we can do without,

but we just keep going,
and we continue to be thorough.

Pardon me. Excuse me.
Hello. Hi. Hello, everyone.

Uh, did you, did you see
my friend over there?

He-he said hi.

Could you leave us?

-We're talking.
-I absolutely will.

I totally understand,
but I was just thinking

maybe I could just have
a moment of your time.

All right, man.
We're having a conversation.

So, if you could just...

You should be doing
something else, though.

-Fuck you. (scoffs)
-Fuck you?

I would bend you over...

Fuck you!

Fuck you!
Get the fuck out of here!

Fuck you, man! Get the fuck out!

(man laughs)

-Wow.
-Frigid bitches.

MAN:
Frigid bitches. (laughs)

-MEGAN (whispers): Sorry.
-Don't apologize.

(scoffs)

-(traffic rumbling)
-(footsteps running)

WOMAN: There was an incident
in Venice at the film festival.

It was '98.

What happened?

(sighs softly)

What makes me most angry
is the silence.

No one spoke out then, and
no one is talking about it now.

He built the silence,
and people complied.

He produced fear
and intimidation.

The only alternative,
seemingly, was to quit

and throw away everything
you worked so hard for

out the door.

You were terrified you were
gonna be the next target,

so people looked the other way.

-Within the company?
-Yes, and outside of it.

I mean, he played the press.
He played the agents.

How did he play the press?

By promising them
access to stars

in exchange for
hushing up some incident.

What sort of incident?

(chuckles) Where do I start?

Harvey had this--
what did they call it?--

"a physical altercation" with a
male employee at a conference.

Then they settled with the guy.

And with women?

He pursued them.

Endlessly.

What happened in Venice?

I don't want to be quoted.

Period.

Understood.

We were in Harvey's suite,

and (sniffles) there were
a bunch of people in there.

And there were
these two assistants,

and they were
sitting there trembling.

And Weinstein was there?

Yes.

He was talking film
and ignoring them,

but they were
literally vibrating.

One with fear,
the other with anger.

Can you tell me their names?

Yes.

And there's another woman
you should, you should call.

The two assistants are
Rowena Chiu and Zelda Perkins,

and we have a third name,
Laura Madden.

And none of them
are returning our calls.

So? Show up in person.

Yeah. (chuckles)

They live in London,
Silicon Valley and Wales.

Can you get on a plane?

(laughs)

Let me work it out with Ron.

But yeah, of course.

Documents, verification.

You know what we need.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(car door opens)

(dog barking in distance)

JODI:
Hi.

Sorry to bother you.
I can see you're busy.

I was looking for Rowena Chiu.

Hi.

Rowena's not here right now.
Can I give her a message?

When will she be back?

My wife's out of the country
for a while.

(chuckles) I see.

I did try calling her.

This a work thing?

No. You must be Andrew?

Andrew Cheung?

I'm Jodi Kantor.
I'm from The New York Times.

Okay.

So, what did you want
to talk to Rowena about?

We're researching a story
about Miramax.

I flew in from New York.

-You came all this way?
-Yeah.

(Andrew chuckles)

Um, could we talk for a minute?

Sure.

So, I've been speaking
with people

who worked for Harvey Weinstein.

You're going quite far back
with Rowena's time there.

We're writing about
his treatment of women.

Right.

And Rowena fits in how?

Your wife worked at Miramax
for some years.

Yes.

Mainly in Hong Kong.

Like to hear about
her experiences

working for Weinstein.

I'm confused why you can't
discuss it on the phone.

(laughs) I did try.

It is always better
to actually meet.

So...

And this is off the record.

My understanding is that...
(stammers)

that Weinstein
possibly victimized your wife

when Rowena
first worked for him.

Rowena's never mentioned
anything like that to me.

What-what do you mean
by "victimized"?

Can you be more specific?

I was told that your wife

may have received a settlement
from Weinstein.

(scoffs) Do I look like a guy
whose wife got a settlement?

Could you have confused her
with someone else?

I-I... I apologize
for taking up your time.

I'm...

Will you just please
give this to Rowena?

If you're talking
to these other people,

why do you need
to talk to Rowena?

And if you turn up
in my driveway,

what kind of victimization?

It's complex.

I'm asking you to expand on it.

I really think
it would be best...

...if you asked Rowena.

Have a good day.

(engine starts)

JODI (over phone):
I just couldn't lie to him.

And then it turns out
he didn't know.

What if London is
a repeat of this?

It won't be.

I spoke with an
employment lawyer in the U.K.,

and he told me that
it was irresponsible of me

even to ask about
breaching NDAs.

No one does it.
They would get sued.

Fuck that guy.

Honestly, Jodi, fuck him.
He has no idea.

I wish I smoked or something.

I'm staring at
an actual brick wall,

and all I can think is, "Fuck."

That's okay.

Fuck.

And documents.

(woman speaking indistinctly
over P.A.)

So, Laura, we are looking at
a full mastectomy.

And we should schedule this
as soon as possible.

I understand.

(line ringing)

LAURA (over phone):
Hello.

Hi.

Laura, this is Jodi Kantor
from The New York Times.

Um, I hope you've been
getting my messages.

I'm in California right now,

but I'm coming
to London tomorrow.

Hi, Jodi.

Hi.

Um, I-I'm so happy to be
finally speaking with you.

I-I understand that you once
worked for Harvey Weinstein

in the London office of Miramax.

Is that right?

Laura?

(Laura crying)

Laura.

(sighs)

Can I do anything to help?

No. I can't talk
about this right now.

(line clicks)

♪ ♪

(kids chattering quietly)

Hey.

Hey, my love.

-Come here. Oh.
-(crying softly)

Hey, now.

It's going to be all right.

-It's going to be all right.
-GRACIE: I'm so sorry, Mum.

(crying and sniffling continues)

♪ ♪

WOMAN (over P.A.):
Please refrain from smoking

in this building.

(engines idling)

(jet engine whirring
in distance)

WAITRESS:
Here we are.

Tea.

Thank you.

(sniffs)

You know, other people
have tried to write this story.

He kills it every time.

We're aware of that.

And we're not gonna
let that happen to us.

Are you okay, Zelda?

Yes.

So, you started working
at Miramax when you were 21?

Yes. I was an assistant
at the London office.

-And how was it?
-It was great.

But it would shift
when Harvey came to town.

In what way?

Everyone became on call
to Harvey.

And what would that entail?

Script meetings, discussions
and more personal stuff.

Like?

For instance,
I would have to go to his hotel

and wake Harvey up.

Run his shower for him.

Get him out of bed.

He would usually be naked.

And he might try
to pull me onto him.

What did you do?

I'd fend him off.

I found humor or aggression
worked best.

Harvey was either
excited or furious.

You never knew
which it would be.

Did anyone on the team
give you advice about him?

Yes. (chuckles)

Once, one girl told me to
always wear my puffer jacket,

um, and to always sit
in an armchair,

never the sofa next to him,
which helped.

And that's how I knew that
it wasn't only happening to me.

What was happening exactly?

Bullying.

Emotional abuse.

I was just too young
to understand it.

Harvey wanted people
to submit to him.

And if they didn't?

Well, then he'd roar.

And he'd spit.

He could destroy someone
in seconds.

Were you scared of him?

Yes. We all were.

So, three years into this,

you were at
the Venice Film Festival.

I resigned after that. (sniffs)

-What happened?
-I can't tell you all of it.

What can you tell me?

♪ Let's sway ♪

♪ Under the moonlight,
this serious moonlight... ♪

ZELDA:
There was a new assistant.

She was my age. She was great.

(both chuckling)

She was very smart.

And she was doing Harvey's
evening script meeting

alone for the first time,

and I told her to call me
if he got difficult.

-Was he pursuing her?
-No.

(chuckles softly)

Harvey said, "I don't like
Jewish or Asian women."

-But that night...
-She called you.

No.

(knock on door)

The following morning,

she came to me,
and she was sobbing.

-I mean, she was hysterical.
-(sobbing)

Rowena, what happened?

Sit.

-And I held her.
-What is it?

Did she tell you what he did?

Not exactly.

Only that no one must know.

But I knew.

I knew that he must've...

What?

She was so upset.

I knew that it had to be
the-the worst possible thing.

I calmed her down, and I went
straight to confront Harvey.

He was in a meeting, uh,
with Scorsese, who, you know...

who hated him, so it was
a really big deal for Harvey.

And I went straight up to him,
and I said very clearly,

"You need to come with me
right now."

You went right up to them
and confronted him?

Yeah. I was so angry.

And in front of everyone,

he stood up and...

he followed me like a lamb.

And then I knew.
Then I knew he did it.

And then?

He denied it.

He said, "I swear on my wife
and kids' lives

that I did not assault
that young woman."

(chuckles) And then
I knew that he was lying.

He always used that line

as a "get out of jail free"
card. Always.

Did the assistant
report it to the police?

Mm. She told no one.

We came back to London.

We both resigned.

I told my direct superior,

who suggested
we get ourselves a good lawyer.

I had no idea where to get one.

I found a company
close to the office,

and-and then I thought
it would be simple.

Criminal proceedings.

But our lawyer said
we had no chance

and the only thing to do
was to agree to a settlement.

And I said categorically no,

that no money
should change hands

and that we just wanted
to stop him.

And no U.K. police
were involved?

We had no case.

We had no evidence and
no police report from Venice.

And, you see, with rape,

it is impossibly difficult
to get a prosecution.

And the lawyers kept saying

damage limitation
was the only way to go.

So I said, "All right, then.

We have our own
very real demands."

Conditions that Harvey
would have to meet

if we were to sign.

And what were those conditions?

We demanded that if Harvey
had another settlement

within two years, that it had
to be reported to Disney

or else he would be fired.

Another was that
he would go to therapy,

with me present initially

so that he couldn't lie
to the therapist.

We demanded that
HR would put in a system

to protect the women and staff.

And it felt like if we could
achieve all of those,

then that's what our silence
was paying for,

that we were paying
for him to stop.

So we signed.

And they had their own
insane conditions for us.

What were they?

I tried to commit them
to memory.

Um, they wouldn't give us
our own copy.

What?

I was only given visitation
rights to my own settlement.

That's in... (stammers)

That's incredible.

But you memorized them?

I asked for letters, too, which
stated some of the conditions.

One said,
"We will make best endeavors

to not help the police
in a criminal or civil case."

We weren't allowed to talk
to our family or a doctor.

So finally we signed.

They gave us some money.

And I felt completely broken.

♪ ♪

I interviewed
for other jobs afterwards,

but everyone kept saying,
"Why did you leave Harvey?"

They all assumed that I'd...

...been with him, you know.

It was horrible.

What did you do then?

I went to visit a friend
in Guatemala,

and I stayed for five years.
(chuckles)

I had no chance of
ever working in film again,

and I couldn't speak freely,
so I worked with horses.

You've lost a lot.

(sniffs)

These are the original letters.

I had to have their permission
if I wanted

to contact a therapist
or speak to an accountant.

I was "never to speak
to any other media,

now or hereafter existing,
about it."

Jodi, this is bigger
than Weinstein.

This is about the system
protecting abusers.

I want you to take these,

and I want you to use them.

Got to go now.

♪ ♪

Is it dark there?

It's, like, 4:00 here.

Did you drink tea?

(laughs)

A little bit.

Who are you meeting?

Just a few women.

Can you find me a shell?
And a cat hat for Violet?

I will work on that.

Have you been okay without me?

Sure. You're back tomorrow.

I am.

Yay!

(both laugh)

So, what did they do,
the women you're meeting?

We'll talk about it
when you're older.

Are they criminals?
Bank robbers?

No.

Was it rape?

Talia, I don't think I've ever
heard you use that word.

Boys say it all the time.
And girls.

They shouldn't.

That word
shouldn't be used casually.

I'm sorry.

N-No. You did nothing wrong.

Are you angry with me?

No, Talia, no. I miss you.

I-I miss you like
someone took a piece out of me.

-(both laugh)
-(static crackles)

I lost you, Talia.

Talia.

(sniffles)

(sighs):
Oh, God.

They're trying to survive,

and he's there 'cause
he's hosting the show.

-And he's probably going to,
like, help them. -(phone rings)

-He's going to kill them.
-GRACIE: Hello?

(laughs):
What? No!

-No? -GRACIE: May I ask
who's calling?

Probably going to help them,
like,

-if they, like, need to get in.
-Now, who's Potts?

I know, but

-they don't look like they're
having troubles... -Mum.

It's another call from America.

I told you, sweetie,
just tell any journalist, "No."

N-No, she says
you worked together.

Pamela Lubell?

Hywel wants to take
his yellow pillow to Cornwall.

-No, we're not taking...
-So?

We're not taking any pillows.

-Why?
-Pamela?

God.

Hi, Pamela. How are you?

It's been decades.

PAMELA (over phone):
I know, Laura.

It's really been a while.
How's life?

It's good.

How's everything? How are you?

Yeah, I'm okay.

That's great.

Laura, have you had any calls
from reporters

trying to write stories
about Harvey?

I-I have, actually. Yes.

I didn't talk to them.

Good. That's good to hear.

Cockroach journalists.

It was great, wasn't it,
back then?

Harvey was always very generous.

That wasn't my experience.

Laura, can I have your assurance
that you won't talk to anyone?

What? What did you say?

If you have a project,
I can take it to Harvey.

LAURA:
I don't.

And I'll talk to who I please.

♪ ♪

-WOMAN: Good evening.
-Good evening.

I need to book
a flight to Cornwall

first thing in the morning.

-Flight to Cornwall tomorrow?
-Yes.

(mispronounces):
To Newquay Airport?

-Newquay.
-Newquay.

You'd normally just get a train.

Okay, train, then.

♪ ♪

JODI: This is a nice place
for a vacation.

-Yeah.
-Mum.

-Hi. -Um, Hywel wants
to play at the rocks.

Is that okay?

-Yeah, sure.
-Okay.

(chuckles)

JODI:
Is that your eldest?

(laughs):
Yes.

Yes. She's 13.

(chuckles softly)

You grew up in Ireland?

I did, yes.

And your first job was
wrangling extras in '92?

They were shooting near us.

I loved it.

And then I heard that Miramax
were making a film nearby,

and I got a job
as a runner on that.

I was ecstatic. It was great.

And you met
Harvey Weinstein when?

Soon after that.

I was going to be
working directly for him.

Doing errands, answering calls.

I was very happy to be asked.

He was charming.

He was saying
he'd heard how hard I worked.

And I was just excited.

I was 21, you know,
very young but incredibly keen.

So when he said
he'd give me a permanent job

at the London office,
I felt so happy.

JODI:
He said that in the meeting?

LAURA:
Yes.

He was in his bathrobe
when he opened the door,

but I thought
that was maybe very Hollywood.

But quite soon into talking,

he said,
would I give him a massage?

I-I said no.

He was very matter-of-fact.

He said it's not
a romantic request.

Everyone does it for him.

It's part of the job.

So, I suddenly thought that
I was the problem, you know.

That I was the one
who was sexualizing it.

That I was just
young and uptight.

So, I...

...I put my hands
on his shoulders,

but I couldn't actually
move them at all over his body.

I just stood there.

My hands wouldn't move.

And then he said he would
give me a massage first.

To relax me.

And he said,
"Look, all the girls do it.

It's just work."

And then he said,
"Take your top off."

Very matter-of-fact.

"Take your bra off."

And I did.

I was terrified,
but I just thought,

"Get through it. Do it."

And then my trousers were off,

and he was standing over me...

masturbating.

I asked him to leave me alone,

but he kept asking
for different things.

And then he suggested a shower,
and I got up.

And he carried on...

masturbating.

And I kept crying.

And I was sobbing,
and the water was pouring down,

and he was still masturbating.

Then he got angry.

I think my crying was so loud
it put him off.

And he left the bathroom,
and I locked the door.

(shower running)

And I could still hear him
on the other side.

Still the sounds
of him masturbating.

Finally, I went back
into the room itself

and grabbed my clothes
and belongings, and I just ran.

I ran down the street.

I've never run
that fast in my life.

How do you feel about it now?

(sighs):
I...

I... I feel like

it dictated a certain direction
my life took.

That-- I just felt that it was
this huge e-error of judgment

that sort of marked me
and all my decisions.

And...

...I felt such shame...

...that I let him do that.

Did you think that he had done
the same to other girls?

I thought that
he must've tried it.

(voice breaking):
But that they'd all s...

...they'd all said no.

It was like he t-took
my voice that day.

Just when I was
about to start finding it.

(sniffles)

-(phones ringing)
-(busy TV and office chatter)

DEAN:
Yes?

WOMAN (over phone):
I have Harvey Weinstein

on the phone for you.

DEAN:
Put him through. Thank you.

HARVEY: Dean, how are you?
This is Harvey.

Hi, Harvey.
What can I do for you?

If I hadn't made movies,
I would've been a journalist.

Dean, I heard someone was
working on a story about me.

Yes. If you'd like to talk
to the reporters on the record,

-they'd welcome that.
-I want to talk to you, Dean.

Well, talk to my reporters
about your concerns.

I'm sorry. I have work to do.

Are you gonna hang up?

Unless you have
anything else to say.

I love the truth.

People make up stories a lot.

Be careful of that.

That's fine, Harvey. Goodbye.

♪ ♪

-Hi, Chanel.
-Hey, Dean.

Hey, Tim.

-Matt, you got a minute?
-Yeah.

DEAN:
So, what do we have?

Well, the biggest thing is
the documents that Jodi got

from Zelda Perkins in London.

Rose is still off the record,

but she has given us permission
to write about her settlement.

We're just trying to figure out
a way to confirm it.

Harvey offered her
a million dollars recently

for her silence.

-And?
-Rose refused,

but she doesn't want us
to quote her.

There are still
no on-the-record sources.

NDAs are a problem.

MEGAN:
Laura Madden didn't sign one.

She's the only ex-assistant who
is technically free to speak.

Ashley and Gwyneth
didn't sign one either,

but they're not ready
to go on the record.

But Laura Madden
has to deal with something

-very different right now.
-She has breast cancer.

She has to go into surgery,
so it's not likely.

I'm still leaving messages
for Rowena Chiu,

but there's no engagement.

So, no more proven settlements.

Ambra Battilana Gutierrez
almost certainly settled.

And John Schmidt confirmed
that Miramax settled

with the woman
I visited in Queens.

Anything more on the article
from The New Yorker?

No.

Lanny Davis and David Boies
want to come talk to us.

What do you think?

Don't we want to wait
and push for

an on-the-record interview
with Weinstein?

It's your call, Binky.

I'd like to talk to Lanny
at least.

See what he has to say.

LANNY: Harvey's not
always that rational.

The reason I'm here
as his representative

is not to try to kill anything.

I want to know that
if you're including something

like Rósa McGowan's claim,
then we can defend that.

REBECCA:
Of course.

Please.

I know you'll be investigating
with due diligence.

-Lanny...
-Mm-hmm?

...you'll have
every chance to respond.

Oh. Uh...

And I trust
it's okay to record this?

Oh, of course. Sure.

I don't expect you to name
sources, but if it's possible

for you to let me know overall
what your story's about?

We're looking into
problematic behavior

towards women by Weinstein.

Okay. (inhales deeply)

Harvey adamantly denies any
allegation of rape or assault.

Nothing criminal.

But he is aware of complaints
about his treatment of women,

and he is working on that.

Powerful men
of an older generation

are changing their understanding

of the meaning of the word
"consensual."

Why women don't feel
it's consensual

even if a man
convinces himself it is.

Do you want to expand on that?

Uh, I believe (chuckles)

there's a story to be told
about the evolution of men.

And, in particular, Harvey
on this subject.

Uh, would he be willing
to talk to us about it?

On the record.

He has to deal with
his wife and children

before anything else.

You're adamant Rose McGowan's
rape accusation is false.

Why is that?

Did she tell anybody right away?

Did she show
any signs of distress?

She told her manager
and a lawyer.

Harvey was aware that
there was a problem with Rose,

but not that
she was accusing him of rape.

So I draw a bright line
on the word "rape."

Anything below that line,

uh, he was aware of
feelings, concerns.

Of what kind?

I'm sorry. What...

If the concerns
were not about rape,

what were they about?

The only way I can answer
is, um...

...a sense of exploitation

because of that
disparate power relationship.

There's mental coercion
that isn't physical coercion.

Lisa Bloom has been
working with Harvey

to help him
recognize the difference.

Lisa Bloom?

Yeah.

MEGAN:
If Harvey had been made aware

of McGowan's concerns
at the time, how did he respond?

I think he had dealings legally
with her about them.

And how would you characterize
those legal dealings?

I think he became aware that

she did not regard
what happened as okay with her.

I'm not talking about rape.

I'm talking about the effect
he had on Rose McGowan.

And that rather than fighting...

"Rather than fighting"?

Then... then what?

I-I think he has agreed
to settlements

rather than litigating
what might have been litigated.

As Harvey saw it,
it was better to settle,

even if you haven't done
anything wrong.

He preferred to settle.

Were there other cases of
questionable intimate relations

with women
in which Weinstein settled?

Let's say for now,
even on a background basis,

that I need to find out
what my limits are legally.

Even if on background,
I'm confirming settlements.

But the-the answer is yes,
there have been.

How many?

(softly):
No.

(Lanny chuckles)

To admit to settlements this
early, they're in real trouble.

-We need to find out a number.
-(Megan chuckles)

We need to corroborate each one.

-I'm on it.
-(phone vibrating)

Have you guys had any dealings
with Diana Filip?

-No. -I said no to speaking
at a women's conference.

-She just keeps on calling me.
-Did you have her checked out?

Security consultant says
she's legit,

but who has time
for these random people?

(phone vibrating)

Hello?

WOMAN (over phone):
I worked at Miramax.

Talk to Irwin Reiter.
He hates Weinstein.

(line clicks)

(phone vibrating)

Hey. Are you okay?

JODI (over phone):
Did I wake you?

Um, yeah. What's up?

JODI: What do you know
about Irwin Reiter?

Hang on.
I put together a file on him.

I need to write
a good fucking email.

Hi. Thanks for meeting me.

You want to get me killed?

So, Irwin, you've been an
accountant for the Weinsteins

for 30 years.

(pours drink)

I pick up the check,

and I reserve the right
to leave after five minutes.

(clears throat)

So, um...
what do you want to know?

We have information
on several settlements

that Weinstein made in the '90s,

paid to actresses
and ex-employees.

Could you tell me anything
about that?

Could you confirm
those settlements

and how it was
from your perspective?

My perspective?

Would it be company money
that was used?

You wrote that we're from
the same tiny world.

Yeah.

Summers at bungalows
in the Catskills.

Meals at Lefty's and Pop-Ins.

What do you remember
about those holidays?

Gosh, I remember so many things.

It's the first time
I remember seeing

my grandmother's arms bare.

I knew those tattoos meant
something seismic.

Yeah, h-how did you know?

I just sensed it.

Did your family discuss it?

Who else are you talking to?

I can't disclose that, Irwin.

You know, my parents,
uh, they couldn't go there.

They rarely discussed it.

It's so mysterious, isn't it?

Why some families talk.

Some don't.

The money Weinstein was
spending was, you know, crazy.

I tried.

I tried many times to

get the board to do something
about him, but they just kept

ignoring his behavior
and keeping him on.

Why is that?

Have you talked to L.O.C.?

Or, uh, Z.P.?

Who is L.O.C.?

There was this memo.

Let me ask you something, Jodi,
that's really puzzling me.

Why are you asking
about the '90s

when Weinstein has committed
so many more recent offenses?

I got to go.

-I'll give you a call.
-Irwin.

♪ ♪

(breathes deeply)

(door opens)

(crying):
Mom.

I had a nightmare.

-Oh, honey, come here.
-(sobs)

-(crying softly)
-(shushing)

(whispering):
It's okay. It's okay.

I heard that
Ambra Battilana Gutierrez

just got
a seven-figure settlement.

And that Weinstein now owns
the audio of the incident?

These settlements, Lanny...

what are we talking?

I can't tell you that, Megan.

You know that.

I'm not talking about
naming you, of course.

It would just be great
for background

to know a number

of the other settlements
that you're aware of.

-I'm not a bad guy here.
-I know that.

My profession is
to get the facts

into the hands
of reporters, but...

(laughs):
you know, I can't help.

I keep getting 40 in my head.

(sighs)

Which would be
ridiculous, right?

Right?

(smacks lips)

It's not 40.

Seriously, it's-it's,
uh, less than 40.

Good. That's a relief.

-(scoffs): Sure.
-(laughs)

So...

...less than half of 40, then?

Check.

Oh, and what the fuck, Lanny?

We heard that Ronan Farrow
is working on a story.

No, no.

That is done. Over.

I don't see you
as a bad guy, Lanny.

I-I don't. I never have.
I respect you.

Uh, I respect you.

(sighs)

This is all
gonna come out, Lanny.

Publicly.

Generally does.

(chuckles)

-(laughs): Okay.
-(laughing)

Wh... What am I laughing about?

(both laugh)

(sighs):
Oh, Megan.

Lanny.

I'd say eight to 12 settlements.

(sighs softly)

And do you think that's normal?

For men to make so many payoffs?

I do. Yeah.

It feels like we're so close.

Do you think we'll get it?
What if we don't?

I'm having nightmares about him.

-Oh, my God. I have them, too.
-Yeah?

I'm terrified we know all this

and we might go to our graves
knowing it.

The story will run.

My worry is people won't care.

And he won't even be
slowed down, let alone stopped.

It's like
an ocean of wrongdoing.

I mean, can you imagine

how many Harveys there are
out there, every day?

I sometimes wonder...

...when I had Mira, if...

...if all the trauma,
not just in me but in...

but in all w-women I talked to,
if it just...

this darkness,
this constant violence,

if it just sort of imploded.

Maybe-maybe that's part of
the depression that hits women.

Do you wish you hadn't
signed up for this story?

Do you?

No.

(chuckles):
No.

JODI: The last time we met,
you mentioned a memo?

(smacks lips)

It was, uh,
from an ex-executive,

and it was extensive, scathing.

She sent it to the board.

When was this?
How did they react?

Oh, it was a short burst
of behind-doors mayhem,

and then she left.

What did her memo say?

That the company was
a toxic environment.

Would anyone have a copy?

(laughs)

Hey.

-Sorry it's so late.
-Mm.

-(Megan sighs)
-JODI: You okay?

Uh, Talia was up late.

Violet woke up twice.

I have an inbox
filled with enraged people

about this insurance story,
which is going to be huge.

There's already
hundreds of emails here,

and there is... (laughs)

a hurricane
heading towards Florida.

So, I am going to somehow
fly down there

and move my dad someplace else

before he is
literally blown away.

And I have a slight
nervous twitch in my eye.

Let me see.

(Ron sighs)

(laughter, playful chatter)

-Hey. Hey.
-Come here, Crabby.

-Get that raisin. -Holly?
-(laughter continues)

-(ringtone playing)
-Slow down!

Um, here. Will you hold
Crabby for a second?

Least they're having fun.

Hi. This is Jodi Kantor.

ROWENA (over phone):
This is Rowena Chiu.

I'm in New York.

Do you still want to meet up?

ROWENA:
I couldn't tell anyone.

Not my parents,
not even my husband.

Why not?

I grew up
in an immigrant household.

I was taught
to keep my head down,

work hard and not draw
attention to myself, you know?

In Chinese culture,

I felt I had to protect
my family at all costs.

And I was young, scared.

Can you tell me anything about
what happened in Venice?

This is off the record, yeah?

I had the evening shifts,

going through notes
on screenplays with Harvey.

One night, we were working,
and he kept trying to touch me.

I didn't want to make him angry.

He's a very big man.

I kept trying
to get back to the notes.

And that went on
for a few hours,

just trying to avoid him.

How did you do that?

I would just fight him off.

I'd worn two pairs of tights

to buy me some time
if I ever needed it.

But finally,

he held me down.

Not forcefully,
but like it was a game.

(stammers softly)

Then he parted my legs,

and he said...

"Please, just one thrust,
and it'll all be over."

I got away.

I was traumatized.

I was a Christian.

I was still
with my first boyfriend.

And you shared this with Zelda?

Zelda was completely enraged
and very brave in facing him.

We both resigned.

(inhales deeply)

But I couldn't get a new job
after leaving Miramax. (sighs)

Everyone kept saying,
if I worked for Harvey,

why would I leave?

The NDA that we signed,

it stipulated that
if I ever had trouble

getting a job in film again,
I was to go back to Harvey

or his lawyer Hutensky for help.

I asked them for a reference,

and Hutensky,
he kept repeating...

(sighs)

What? What was he saying?

How much Harvey valued me.

We agreed
I would return to Miramax

under strict conditions.

So I signed for Hong Kong.

I thought he would be
far enough away.

I thought I'd be okay.

♪ ♪

But it was horrible.

I was a mess.

I felt incredibly alone.

I couldn't tell anyone about it,

and the isolation
just ate into me.

(busy Cantonese chatter)

(speaks Cantonese)

(speaks Cantonese)

ROWENA: One day,
I disappeared from work.

I wanted to be dead.

I didn't know how to be,

how to keep going,
living with it.

I tried to kill myself,
but I didn't know how.

I felt I failed at even that.

I want to give you this.

It's a description
from an actress

you would know and recognize.

Mm.

What?

This person
won't go on the record.

I can't put her in the story.

Uh... I-I didn't...

I-I didn't know
anything like this.

(sighs)

I-I thought it was just
e-extramarital bullshit.

It's not.

(sighs)

♪ ♪

Do with it what you want.

♪ ♪

(camera clicking)

♪ ♪

-(phone dings)
-MAN (over TV): They have seen

not a single bit
of aid or assistance,

and it's about
45 minutes' drive...

Shit.

This is it.

This is it.

(phone dings)

LAUREN: For your records,
November 3rd, 2015.

I have experienced
repeated harassment and abuse

from the head of this company.

I am a 28-year-old woman trying
to make a living and a career.

I am a professional.

I am sexualized and diminished.

I have been fearful
about speaking up,

but remaining silent
is causing me great distress.

He told me, "I'm a bad boy,

but what's important
is that I'm honest about it."

He said the only thing I was
good for was making babies.

An assistant told me Harvey
made her give him a massage

while he was naked.

It was horrible
to see her so upset.

When I complained to their
human resources executive,

the response was,

"Let us know if he hits you
or crosses a line physically."

Harvey Weinstein is
a 64-year-old world-famous man,

and this is his company.

The balance of power is
me zero, Harvey Weinstein ten.

Go write.

MATT:
You've got the story.

Once we publish,
everything else will come out.

And talk to Lauren O'Connor.

-Yeah. -DEAN: Get ahold of
the Weinstein Company board

for their response.

Let me call Lance Maerov.

Write it. Let's get ready.

NICOLE: My client does not
want to be named.

That memo was never
for public distribution.

REBECCA:
Lauren?

NICOLE:
My client is here,

but she's too upset to speak.

REBECCA:
Lauren, I'm sorry

this is difficult for you.

We're not gonna publish
the whole memo.

And we will make it
absolutely clear

you were not the source and
that you declined to comment.

But we do intend to use
your name for its credibility.

If you were
a victim of sexual assault,

we would absolutely keep
your anonymity.

But as a witness
to what went on,

it would make this story
much stronger to name you.

Hi, Lance. This is Megan Twohey
from The New York Times.

We have a memo here
from Lauren O'Connor

to The Weinstein Company.

-What? Sh...
-MEGAN: We want to know,

-what did you do about it?
-Shit.

What did the board do about it?

(breathing heavily)

Lance?

We did try to change things

with the police complaint
in 2015.

What about this memo?

It was there
and then it was gone?

Look, we were all worried
about Harvey's behavior.

Can I quote you, Lance?

Yes. Yes, you can.

So, Lauren's complaint?

It was withdrawn
days after it was sent.

So, yeah, I let it go.

Well, why do you think
it was withdrawn?

I really don't know why.

Look, are you sure that
this isn't just young women

who want to sleep with a movie
producer to try to get ahead?

We have decades of allegations,

accusations of
harassment, assault,

rape and multiple settlements.

I know you're gonna need
to speak to the board,

but could you wait
until after the weekend?

Is that possible?

(clears throat)

Okay.

Ashley, I know that
ideally a lot of women

would be jumping together,
but that's not what's happening.

But we do have
a series of incidents

and a predatory pattern.

You would be
coming forward alone,

but you would be standing
on a mountain of evidence.

Ashley?

ASHLEY: Yes. I'll think
about it very seriously, Jodi.

I promise.

Thank you, Ashley.

(line clicks)

DEAN:
We go with what we have.

I know we need to be mindful
of The New Yorker,

but couldn't we wait
just a little longer,

just-just for these women
to commit?

No. We need to publish.

It's nothing like
the whole story.

This can be the first arrow.

More women will come forward
afterwards.

It could be
so much stronger, Dean.

It's solid.

We need to go.

How much time will we give
Weinstein to respond?

-24 hours?
-I'd double it.

48 hours.

-That's fair.
-DEAN: Two days?

How many people could
Harvey and his team talk to

in that amount of time?

David?

I'd go with Rebecca.

We want to be irreproachable
from the legal side.

DEAN:
Good. Let's call Lanny.

We'll ask to speak to Harvey
and his team at 1:00 tomorrow.

We'll tell them what we have
and give him, um,

two days to respond or refute.

♪ ♪

(keyboard clacking rapidly)

It's midnight. Go home.

-We will.
-Good night.

♪ ♪

(sighs)

If just one of the women would
have gone on the record...

Why is he taking the tunnel?

We just needed one woman.

Jodi, stop it.

Let it go.

(sighs)

Maybe if we had been able

to get them all
into a room together.

A room would make no difference.

They don't want to go
on the record by themselves.

Would you want to?

(sighs deeply)

(whispering):
Hi.

(gasps)

You. Hi.

Hi.

(shushing)

(cooing softly)

(shushing)

It's been two fucking hours.

It's a tactic,
but I have things to do.

(phone ringing)

-Hello?
-WOMAN (over phone): Dean?

I have Harvey Weinstein and his
lawyer Charles Harder for you.

Okay, let's go, team.

-You ready?
-We're ready.

Put them through.

Harvey?

Charles?

CHARLES:
Dean.

How do you want
to do this, Harvey?

HARVEY: I don't want to do this
is what I want.

Are they there? The reporters?

We're all here.

Who have you talked to?

We've sent you
who we're covering, Harvey.

Who have you talked to?

(busy chatter)

MEGAN:
Harvey, we need some...

HARVEY: Are you talking
to Gwyneth Paltrow?

DEAN: Gwyneth's not
in the story, Harvey.

HARVEY: Why don't you tell me
who's on the record

and let me respond to that?

DEAN (whispers):
Yeah.

Harvey, how many settlements

have you paid out
over the years?

We were told eight to 12.

That's you talking.
That's not me talking.

If Lanny spoke,
he spoke for himself

and not on behalf of his client.

CHARLES: How much time
are you giving us to respond?

We need two weeks.

You'll have two days.

This goes back to the '90s.

HARVEY: If you mess up
and don't tell the truth,

how do you look yourself
in the eye?

It's been 90 minutes, Harvey,
and we're gonna wrap it up now.

(panting)

♪ ♪

DEAN: Harvey's just disputed
Lanny's eight to 12.

We have to have corroboration.

Eight to 12 settlements
has to be backed up.

-Who can you call at the
company? -(ringtone playing)

I'll ask David Glasser.

It's Ashley.

Pick up. Answer it.

I am. I am.

Ashley.

How are you?

ASHLEY (over phone):
I'm good. Yeah. I'm good.

I just went for a run.

JODI:
That's great. That's great.

Running is good.

I talked to my lawyer,
and I've been thinking about

what the right thing to do is.

Yeah. Of course.

Of course.

And?

I'm prepared to be a named
source in your investigation.

I have to.

As a woman and a Christian.

♪ ♪

(sighs)

Jodi?

Yes.

ASHLEY:
We'll speak soon.

Yes.

Ashley, thank you.

Thank you.

(crying):
Ashley said yes.

She said yes.

(sobbing)

Ashley said yes.

She did, Jodi. She did.

DEAN:
Okay.

Here we go with
the whole damn story.

REBECCA: The lede is
Ashley Judd's account

of the Peninsula suite.

Get a good Judd quote
to end the section.

-I'm on it.
-DEAN: We publish

-as soon as the piece
is in good shape. -Let's go.

(sighs)

♪ ♪

(line ringing)

-GLASSER (over phone): Hello?
-Hi, David.

This is Megan Twohey
from The New York Times.

I thought it was fair to
give you, as company president,

a chance to comment.

Are you up to speed
with everything?

I am.

The board had
an emergency conference call.

David, the eight
to 12 settlements,

we have conflicting reports.

We don't need to name you,
but would you confirm for me

that eight to 12 is accurate?

GLASSER:
How many?

Eight to 12.

Are we safe using that figure?

Eight to 12.

Uh, yeah. Yes.
That's, uh, accurate.

I appreciate it, David.
Thank you.

(elevator bell dings)

(sighs)

♪ ♪

David Glasser says yes
to eight to 12 settlements.

(both laugh)

LANNY (over phone):
It's not enough time.

-And it's not just me here.
-MEGAN: Right. Yeah.

LANNY:
You must know that, right?

MEGAN: Yeah.
I understand it's difficult.

What's happening?
Is Harvey on the phone?

It's Lanny. Weinstein is
refusing to give a response.

-MEGAN: Okay.
-LANNY: Right?

MEGAN:
Yeah. No, Lanny, I hear you.

LANNY: Listen, I can't pull
a rabbit out of a hat here.

We need more time.
Here's the thing, Megan...

Lanny, I'm sick of this shit.

You've got five different
lawyers reaching out to us.

We're not talking
to five different lawyers.

Get your people in line and get
back to us with your response.

This is not a response.
This is a novel.

They call the women liars
and the journalism false.

It's legalistic bullying.

I sent back three paragraphs
to counter their 18 pages.

I've asked for their data,
and I invite them to court.

Uh, let's see how long
before they get back to us.

(phone vibrates)

Waiting time's up.

Weinstein wants to meet.
He's on his way here.

Do we let him in?

Let him in.

I've got this.

♪ ♪

-Hi, Lisa.
-LISA: Hi.

-Is this everyone?
-Yeah.

Okay, follow me.

-That's what you're gonna do.
-(overlapping chatter)

We have the folders.
We've got evidence.

-You're a good writer, Megan.
-Here you go.

Are you really willing to stake
your reputation on this story?

...and he's smiling at her.

Would you be smiling
if this had happened to you?

None of these women
are credible witnesses.

-Nothing but thieves.
-She's a nut.

-She's a shakedown artist.
-(overlapping chatter fades)

♪ ♪

JODI:
Is it there? Is it online?

Yes. They have it, too.

So it's in both.

What happened?

What you'd expect.

Trying to discredit
the actresses.

What's wrong?

Harvey and his team have spoken

to Variety
and Hollywood Reporter.

-What?
-About us and the story.

He claims to be surprised by it.

This is bad.

You have to write fast.

We've just lost any privacy.

♪ ♪

Let me see the lede.

JODI: No, I think that
we have to lead with this.

So that has to be
at the top of the paragraph.

I think it's fine as two,
don't you?

REBECCA:
I think it's right.

Go home. I'll check this.

(Megan sighs)

Really?

♪ ♪

(over TV): And they're
really appealing to people.

If you know anything,
please come forward.

♪ ♪

HARVEY (over phone):
Why shouldn't I just do

a fucking interview right now
with The Washington Post

based on
your lack of transparency?

You want some sort of list
of who we're talking to

for this story, and
if we don't disclose it to you,

you're threatening us?

If you're using
Gwyneth Paltrow, tell me.

We're not using Gwyneth Paltrow.

Are you talking
to Gwyneth Paltrow?

Hey, Harvey, this is Dean.
Here's the deal.

You need to give us
your statement now.

I'm about to push the button.

Dean, let me tell you something
about intimidation.

I'll talk to The Post. I will.

Call them. That's fine.

You can call The Post.

Harvey, I'm trying
to be fair with you.

You are intimidating me, Dean.

No, I'm trying
to get your statement.

Please give it to us now.

We're about to publish.

-I want to give it to you.
-Thank you.

Is Gwyneth in it?

DEAN and MEGAN:
She's not in the story.

So here's what we need
to do, Harvey.

We want to give you every word
that you want to say.

So say it.

I also have
a newspaper to put out.

I'm gonna walk out.

Talk to my reporters. Take care.

Good luck.

LISA: You have a reckless
disregard for the truth.

You want a-a hit story,
and these allegations are false.

We don't want a hit story, Lisa.

Harvey's going to take
some time off

to focus on this issue.

Are you, Harvey?

HARVEY:
Yes. I'm gonna take time off.

From the company?

Yes. I want to spend
some time learning.

LISA:
Learning and listening to me.

(whispers): He's going to take
a leave of absence.

Double space here.

-And here.
-(phone vibrating)

It's Laura.

(softly):
Perfect.

Hi. Laura, how are you?

LAURA (over phone):
Yes, I'm okay.

Today's my surgery.
I'm about to go in.

Um, look, I never signed
any contract.

I'm not gagged,
and I want to speak out

on behalf of the women
who can't.

I have three daughters,
and I don't want them

to ever accept
abuse or bullying as normal.

You can use anything I've said.

I'll do it.

I'll go on the record.

Thank you, Laura.

Thank you.

I'll be thinking of you.

(Jodi sighs)

-Oh, Laura.
-(Megan laughs)

Oh, beautiful, beautiful Laura.

(Megan sighs)

(wheels clacking)

(sighs, sniffles)

NURSE:
Are you okay, Laura?

(laughs):
Yes. I'm fine.

Thank you.

I really am.

♪ ♪

(indistinct chatter)

(shouting playfully, laughing)

(seagulls chirping)

(indistinct chatter)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

The statements are in.
I'm pulling quotes.

Yep.

(sighs)

So, do you--
(laughs): Okay. You're so good.

♪ ♪

Have you pulled the quotes?

I'm doing it now.

It's ready to go.

MATT: Let's read it together
one last time.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

-Yeah.
-One second.

Yeah.

Okay?

DEAN:
Okay?

-Yeah.
-Okay.

♪ ♪

(mouse clicks)

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(music ends)