Latest news with #Anti-Trans
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein Interviewed by Candace Owens From Prison: Defamed Producer Claims He Was ‘Wrongfully Convicted' and Attacks Accusations From Gwyneth Paltrow and Rose McGowan
Harvey Weinstein sat down with conservative political commentator Candace Owens for a tell-all interview on-camera from prison, in which the defamed producer maintains his innocence and rebuffs the claims of his Hollywood accusers. Weinstein opens the interview by claiming he was 'wrongfully convicted,' denouncing the fact he was twice found guilty of sexual crimes: First in 2020 of a criminal sexual act in the first degree and third-degree rape, and the second in 2022 of rape. His 2020 conviction was overturned in 2024 because the trial judge allowed testimony based on accusations that were not included in the case, a point Weinstein brings up multiple times, seemingly as evidence to support his innocence. He describes his actions as merely 'mistakes' and asserts he has done nothing 'illegal.' More from Variety Candace Owens Is Out at Daily Wire, CEO Says Anti-Trans Post From Brittany Aldean Leads to War of Words Between LGBTQ+ Supporter Maren Morris and Candace Owen More Sex Crime Trials for Cosby, Weinstein in Los Angeles 'I hurt my family. I hurt my friends. I cheated on my wife. And that was a mistake, you know, a terrible mistake,' Weinstein said. 'But I did not commit these crimes. I swear that before God, and the people watching now, and on my family.' The infidelity, he asserts, was triggered by the pressures of his work. 'Oh, I was not a good boss,' he admits. 'I was tough and I was demanding, and I should have been better at it, but I wasn't. I had a temper. You know, I just should have controlled myself better. And the pressures of that work was my excuse for the cheating.' Owens then prompted Weinstein to discuss some of his former accusers, including Gwyneth Paltrow. In 2017, Paltrow claimed Weinstein invited her into his hotel room, put his hands on her and suggested a massage after casting her in the 1996 film 'Emma.' The incarcerated Weinstein called the accusation 'a complete fabrication.' Though he admitted that he 'definitely made a pass,' he claimed he 'didn't touch her.' 'She thought the relationship was abusive. Anybody who was there, who witnessed that relationship with [Paltrow], it just turned into total friends,' Weinstein said. 'There's pictures of her hugging me when I was sick and in the hospital and didn't think I was gonna make it in 1999. Gwyneth, at the Golden Globes, said, 'Bomber, we miss you.' She got up and made a speech about me. Nobody asked her to do that. In her Academy speech, she thanks me.' Weinstein argues that his falling-out with Paltrow instead happened because he didn't like the script for Donna Tartt's 'Secret History' that Paltrow and her brother Jake Paltrow wrote after he had optioned the bestseller. Weinstein also addressed Rose McGowan, who came forward in a bombshell New York Times article published in 2017, claiming that Weinstein paid her $100,000 to stay silent about a sexual encounter at the Sundance Film Festival. The article quotes a legal document in connection with the cash, which states that the money was 'not to be construed as an admission' by Weinstein, and was only to 'avoid litigation and buy peace.' Weinstein said the money was to make sure his infidelity to his then-wife, Eve Chilton, remained a secret. 'I settled with Rose McGowan,' he said. 'I gave her $100,000, you know, to say…just don't tell my wife, don't get me in trouble.' As for what Weinstein has been up to since his historic fall from Hollywood royalty, he tells a clearly sympathetic Owens he's been helping some of his industry connections develop their films from jail. 'I have friends who are still in the industry who slip me their screenplays and ask me for notes,' Weinstein said. 'You know, can I do something for it? Can I help? Can I improve it? And I just give them my honest thoughts. So I'm not doing anything for me, but I'm doing things for others.' Weinstein is currently on trial in New York and charged with two counts of committing a 'criminal sexual act' in the first degree and one count of third-degree rape. The charges stem from accusations by former model Kaja Sokola, former TV production assistant Miriam Haley and actor Jessica Mann. The Owens-Weinstein interview premieres on YouTube on Tuesday, but can be accessed now through Owens' paid subscription service. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Harry Potter' Star John Lithgow Can't Understand All The J.K. Rowling Backlash
John Lithgow admitted facing backlash from J.K. Rowling's critics after he joined HBO's upcoming 'Harry Potter' TV series was not on his bingo card. In a new interview with the Times of London, the actor revealed that he 'absolutely' didn't foresee the mounting criticisms aimed at him on social media, stemming from Rowling's many anti-trans controversies. 'It was a big decision because it's probably the last major role I'll play,' said the 79-year-old actor, who is set to portray Albus Dumbledore in the show based on Rowling's 'Harry Potter' books. 'It's an eight-year commitment, so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.' Lithgow said he was first made aware of the disapproval surrounding Rowling after he received a text from 'a very good friend who is the mother of a trans child.' 'That was the canary in the coalmine,' he declared. The message, according to the actor, contained a link to an op-ed titled 'An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Walk Away from Harry Potter.' The piece accused Rowling of being 'anti-trans' and slammed her for having 'attacked trans kids directly.' Over the years, Rowling has come under fire for posting anti-trans rhetoric and publicly supporting anti-trans legislation. Her comments have drawn outrage from fans of the fantasy series, trans activists and Hollywood stars, including 'Harry Potter' alum Emma Watson and Pedro Pascal. When questioned whether the disapproval of Rowling made him think twice about taking on the role, Lithgow replied: 'Oh, heavens no.' In fact, Lithgow told the Times of London that he questioned, 'Why this is a factor at all' in the grand scheme of things. 'I thought, why is this a factor at all? I wonder how J.K. Rowling has absorbed it,' he said of the uproar over the best-selling author. 'I suppose at a certain point I'll meet her and I'm curious to talk to her.' Elsewhere in the interview, Lithgow explained the irony that he is now be tied to controversial figures like Rowling and British author Roald Dahl, whom he currently stars as in a West End production of 'Giant,' at this 'moment in my life.' Dahl faced criticism before his death in 1990 for making antisemtic statements and using racist tropes and language in some of his novels. 'It's so interesting to me at this moment in my life, when I've always loved entertaining kids, that I should be engaged with these writers — J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl — who are geniuses at entertaining kids but have had crises among adults,' Lithgow said. The forthcoming 'Harry Potter' series was first confirmed in 2023. The show comes more than a decade after 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' was released in theaters, wrapping up the titular hero's journey on the big screen. The series is expected to air in 2026 or 2027. 'Bridgerton' Star Nicola Coughlan Calls Out J.K. Rowling For Celebrating Anti-Trans Court Ruling HBO Reveals J.K. Rowling's Participation In Upcoming 'Harry Potter' Series HBO Baffles Fans With 'Harry Potter' Reboot Series, Defense Of J.K. Rowling's Role
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Lithgow Says He ‘Absolutely' Didn't Expect Any J.K. Rowling Backlash After Joining HBO's ‘Harry Potter' Series: ‘Why Is This a Factor?'
John Lithgow is opening up about how fans feel about him joining HBO's 'Harry Potter' series, considering the involvement of the contentious franchise creator J.K. Rowling. In a sit-down with The Times of London, Lithgow said he has received some backlash for joining HBO's 'Harry Potter' because of Rowling's controversial comments about the transgender community. The 'Conclave' star said it was something he 'absolutely' did not expect, and was thinking more about his age when he accepted the role. More from Variety David Tennant Wishes J.K. Rowling 'No Ill Will,' But Hope She Will 'Get Out of People's Way' In the Transgender Community: 'Let People Be' Pedro Pascal Slams J.K. Rowling as a 'Heinous Loser' for Anti-Trans Rhetoric, Supports 'Harry Potter' Boycott Nicola Coughlan Says She 'Wouldn't Touch' New 'Harry Potter' Series 'With a 10 Foot Pole' After J.K. Rowling Celebrates U.K. Ruling on Trans Women 'Of course, it was a big decision because it's probably the last major role I'll play,' Lithgow said. 'It's an eight-year commitment so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.' Lithgow added that 'a very good friend who is the mother of a trans child' sent him an open letter entitled 'An Open Letter to John Lithgow: Please Walk Away from Harry Potter' after he picked up the role. 'That was the canary in the coal mine,' he said. Lithgow went on to ponder why Rowling's past comments should affect the project. 'I thought, 'Why is this a factor at all?' I wonder how J.K. Rowling has absorbed it,' Lithgow said. 'I suppose at a certain point I'll meet her, and I'm curious to talk to her.' When asked if the backlash has made him reconsider the role, Lithgow said, 'Oh, heavens no.' Back in 2020, Rowling posted a series of social media posts claiming that the existence of transgender people 'erased' the 'lived reality of women.' Shortly after, film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint issued statements opposing her opinions. Shortly after HBO's 'Harry Potter' was unveiled, HBO chief Casey Bloys told the media that Rowling was 'very, very involved in the process selecting the writer and the director,' and her anti-trans sentiments 'haven't affected the casting or hiring of writers or production staff' for the series. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in May 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in May 2025
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Tennant Wishes J.K. Rowling ‘No Ill Will,' But Hope She Will ‘Get Out of People's Way' In the Transgender Community: ‘Let People Be'
David Tennant is standing up against Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. In a report from The Guardian, Tennant, who starred in 2005's 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,' shared his thoughts about Rowling while answering questions about the author asked by a group of neurodivergent individuals on ITV's 'The Assembly.' More from Variety Pedro Pascal Slams J.K. Rowling as a 'Heinous Loser' for Anti-Trans Rhetoric, Supports 'Harry Potter' Boycott Nicola Coughlan Says She 'Wouldn't Touch' New 'Harry Potter' Series 'With a 10 Foot Pole' After J.K. Rowling Celebrates U.K. Ruling on Trans Women Everything We Know About HBO's 'Harry Potter' Series He said, 'J.K. Rowling is a wonderful author who's created brilliant stories, and I wish her no ill will, but I hope that we can all as a society, just let people be. Just get out of people's way.' In the same interview, Tennant compared the treatment of transgender people in the current age to a 1988 policy by the UK government that prohibited local authorities from promoting homosexuality. He continued, 'We look back on that now as a medieval, absurd thing to try and say, and I think the way the transgender community is being demonised and othered is exactly the same. It's become this kind of political football.' Tennant is not the only Harry Potter actor to distance themselves from the controversial author. After Rowling released a series of social media posts in 2020 claiming that the existence of transgender people 'erased' the 'lived reality of women,' series stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint issued statements opposing her opinions. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in May 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rock Legend Carlos Santana Suffers Medical Emergency Before Concert
Rock icon Carlos Santana suffered a medical emergency before his concert in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, and the performance was postponed, according to reports. The San Antonio Fire Department told that a medical crew responded to a possible fainting around 5 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre and that the 77-year-old was transported to an area hospital. Citing sources, TMZ wrote that the collapse occurred during a soundcheck. Video obtained by the entertainment site purportedly shows Santana being taken on a gurney into a waiting ambulance but the transfer is mostly obscured by staff. His manager, Michael Vrionis, said the cause was dehydration. 'Mr. Santana was at the venue (Majestic Theatre) preparing for tonight's show when he experienced an event that was determined to be dehydration,' Vrionis said in a statement to the theater on Facebook. 'Out of an abundance of caution and the health of Mr. Santana, the decision to postpone the show was the most prudent course of action. He is doing well and is looking forward to coming back to San Antonio soon as well as continuing his US Tour.' HuffPost has reached out to Santana's team for an update. Dehydration was also reportedly behind Santana's collapse during a concert in 2022. He underwent a heart procedure in late 2021. Santana, who's considered one of rock 'n' roll's most innovative guitarists, exploded on to the scene with a memorable performance at Woodstock with his band of the same name in 1969. Concertgoers Criticize Carlos Santana Over 'BS' Anti-Trans Rant At New Jersey Show Rock Legend Carlos Santana Collapses On Stage Carlos Santana 'Doing Well' After Collapsing Onstage
