Mira Sorvino ‘heartsick’ as Peter Jackson confirms Weinstein had her and Ashley Judd blacklisted
Mira Sorvino ‘burst out crying’ after reading Peter Jackson’s claim that Harvey Weinstein had her and Ashley Judd ‘blacklisted’ from The Lord Of The Rings casting.
Both Mira and Ashley – who have accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment – publicly claimed that the producer led a smear campaign to derail their careers, specifically preventing the actresses from getting roles in The Lord Of The Rings.
Following Weinstein’s denial of this being the case, director Peter Jackson issued a statement revealing that Miramax bosses discouraged him from casting Sorvino and Judd.
In a statement released to Deadline, Jackson said: ‘Amongst the many names raised, Fran and I expressed our enthusiasm for Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino. In fact we met with Ashley and discussed two possible roles with her. After this meeting we were told by Miramax to steer clear of both Ashley and Mira, because they claimed to have had “bad experiences” with these particular actresses in the past.
‘Fran Walsh was in the same meeting, and remembers these negative comments about Ashley and Mira as clearly as I do. We have no reason to make it up.
‘This type of comment is not unusual – it can happen with any studio on any film, when different actor’s names come up in conversation – but once you hear negative feedback about somebody, you don’t forget it.’
The film moved away from Miramax to New Line, and Peter did not suggest Judd and Sorvino to casting due to Weinstein’s claims.
He continued: ‘Nearly 20 years later, we read about the sexual misconduct allegations being made against Harvey Weinstein and we saw comments by both Mira and Ashley, who felt they had been blacklisted by Miramax after rejecting Harvey’s sexual advances.
Peter & Fran had me in – showed me all the creative, the boards, costumes, everything. They asked which if the two roles I preferred, and then I abruptly never heard from hem again. I appreciate the truth coming out. Thank you, Peter. https://t.co/iXKuK6Xqtx
— ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) December 15, 2017
Just seeing this after I awoke, I burst out crying. There it is, confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure. Thank you Peter Jackson for being honest. I’m just heartsick https://t.co/ljK9NqICbm
— Mira Sorvino (@MiraSorvino) December 15, 2017
‘Fran and I immediately remembered Miramax’s negative reaction when we put their names forward, and we wondered if we had unwittingly been part of the alleged damage to their careers, at the hands of Miramax.
‘We have no direct evidence linking Ashley and Mira’s allegations to our Lord of the Rings casting conversations of 20 years ago – but we stand by what we were told by Miramax when we raised both of their names, and we are recounting it accurately.
‘If we were unwitting accomplices in harming their careers, Fran and I unreservedly apologise to both Ashley and Mira.’
Mira, upon seeing the story, thanked Jackson for being ‘honest’ and shared her emotional reaction.
More: Harvey Weinstein
The Mighty Aphrodite star, 50, tweeted: ‘Just seeing this after I awoke, I burst out crying. There it is, confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure. Thank you Peter Jackson for being honest. I’m just heartsick.’
Ashley, 49, tweeted: ‘I remember this well.
‘Peter & Fran had me in – showed me all the creative, the boards, costumes, everything. They asked which if the two roles I preferred, and then I abruptly never heard from hem again. I appreciate the truth coming out. Thank you, Peter.’
Various stars have spoken out in support of the actresses, who were named among Time’s Person of the Year, the ‘Silence Breakers’.
Ronan Farrow, who has been writing many of the exposes on Weinstein for The New Yorker, tweeted: ‘For anyone who doesn’t fully understand what a brave and difficult thing Mira did in speaking to me before it was clear how things would play out – this is what she, and many others, had been up against for years.’
And Selma Blair tweeted: ‘I am heartsick as well. For you. For us. And I am full of respect for you too. You are here. You endure. You rise. Always. The injustice. The casual destruction by these men in power.’
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