Harvey Weinstein used to be one of the most influential figures in the film industry, shaping the careers of actors, directors, screenwriters, and more through his production company, Miramax. Later, he founded The Weinstein Company along with his brother Bob. The producer accomplished many astounding accomplishments during his career, however, his meteoric rise came crashing down in 2017.
After dozens of allegations of s*xual misconduct surfaced, some dating back to the 1970s, his once-unshakable empire came crashing down. Now lodged in New York City’s Rikers Island, the once-celebrated figure is now one of the most disgraced of all time. Here is a look at how his empire went from hundreds of Oscar nods to nothing in a matter of years.
From Hollywood Mogul to a Convicted Felon: How did Harvey Weinstein end up in jail?
Few producers in Hollywood have boasted the power and influence that Harvey Weinstein did. Throughout his career, whether when he was with Miramax or later with The Weinstein Company, the producer had a knack for picking critically acclaimed films, which made him a dominant force in Hollywood.
However, it all came down when multiple allegations of s*xual harassment and assault surfaced in 2017. Thanks to The New York Times and the New Yorker and their investigations, several women came forward to reveal the predatory behavior of Weinstein, accusing him of coercion, assault, r*pe, and more. A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, and Lena Headey came forward to make similar claims.
These revelations, while igniting the global #MeToo movement, led to a series of things: Weinstein’s firing from TWC, expulsion from the Academy, withdrawal of the BFI Fellowship, and eventually court cases in NYC, Los Angeles, and London. Ultimately, he was convicted of r*pe and s*xual assault and is currently in Riker’s Island prison. While his New York convictions were overturned, a retrial is scheduled to take place on April 15, 2025 (via BBC).
Harvey Weinstein’s unparalleled success at the Oscars
Harvey Weinstein has achieved unparalleled feats at the Oscars during his career. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Weinsten and his companies seemed to have had a stranglehold on the prestigious awards, mastering the art of campaigning and winning several accolades in the process.
From The English Patient to Shakespeare in Love and more, his influence was not just limited to films but extended beyond them, as he was notorious for his relentless lobbying efforts. As a result, through Miramax and The Weinstein Company, the disgraced film mogul has been nominated 341 times for the Oscars and has won over 81 times. Here is a look at his wins (via Forbes):
- 1990: My Left Foot (Best Actor—Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actress—Brenda Fricker)
- 1991: Journey of Hope (Best Foreign Language Film)
- 1992: Mediterraneo (Best Foreign Language Film)
- 1993: The Crying Game (Best Original Screenplay—Neil Jordan)
- 1994: The Piano (Best Original Screenplay—Jane Campion, Best Actress—Holly Hunter, Best Supporting Actress—Anna Paquin)
- 1995: Pulp Fiction (Best Original Screenplay—Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary)
- 1996: Restoration (Best Costume Design—James Acheson, Best Production Design—Eugenio Zanetti); The Postman (Best Original Score—Luis Enríquez Bacalov)
- 1997: The English Patient (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress—Juliette Binoche, Best Art Direction—Stuart Craig and Stephanie McMillan, Best Cinematography—John Seale, Best Costume Design—Anne Roth, Best Director—Anthony Minghella, Best Film Editing—Walter Murch, Best Original Score—Gabriel Yared, Best Sound —Walter Murch, Mark Berger, David Parker and Christopher Newman), Sling Blade (Best Adapted Screenplay—Billy Bob Thornton), Emma (Best Original Score—Rachel Portman)
- 1998: Good Will Hunting (Best Supporting Actor—Robin Williams, Best Original Screenplay—Ben Affleck and Matt Damon)
- 1999: Shakespeare in Love (Best Picture, Best Actress—Gwyneth Paltrow, Best Supporting Actress—Judi Dench, Best Art Direction—Martin Childs and Jill Quertier, Best CostumeDesign—Sandy Powell, Best Original Musical or Comedy Score—Stephen Warbeck, Best Original Screenplay—Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard), Life Is Beautiful (Best Actor—Roberto Benigni, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Music, Original Dramatic Score—Nicola Piovani)
- 2000: Cider House Rules (Best Actor in a Supporting Role—Michael Caine, Best Adapted Screenplay—John Irving)
- 2002: Iris (Best Actor in a Supporting Role—Jim Broadbent)
- 2003: Chicago (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress—Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Art Direction—John Myhre, Gordon Sim, Best Costume Design—Colleen Atwood, Best Film Editing—Martin Walsh, Best Sound—Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David Lee), The Hours (Best Actress—Nicole Kidman), Frida (Best Makeup—John E. Jackson and Beatrice De Alba, Best Original Score—Elliot Goldenthal)
- 2004: Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Best Makeup: Peter Owen and Richard Taylor, Best Original Score: Howard Shore), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, (Best Cinematography—Russell Boyd, Best Sound Editing—Richard King), Cold Mountain (Best Supporting Actress—Renée Zellweger)
- 2005: The Aviator (Best Supporting Actress—Cate Blanchett, Best Art Direction—Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo, Best Cinematography—Robert Richardson, Best Costume Design—Sandy Powell, Best Film Editing—Thelma Schoonmaker), Finding Neverland (Best Original Score—Jan A. P. Kaczmarek)
- 2009: The Reader (Best Actress—Kate Winslet), Vicky Christina Barcelona (Best Supporting Actress—Penélope Cruz)
- 2010: Inglourious Basterds (Best Supporting Actor—Christoph Waltz)
- 2011: The King’s Speech (Best Picture, Best Actor—Colin Firth, Best Director—Tom Hooper, Best Original Screenplay—David Seidler), The Fighter (Best Supporting Actor—Christian Bale, Best Supporting Actress—Melissa Leo)
- 2012: The Artist (Best Picture, Best Director—Michel Hazanavicius, Best Actor—Jean Dujardin, Best Costume Design—Mark Bridges, Best Original Score—Ludovic Bource), The Iron Lady (Best Actress—Meryl Streep, Best Makeup—Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland), Undefeated (Best Documentary Feature)
- 2013: Django Unchained (Best Original Screenplay—Quentin Tarantino, Best Supporting Actor—Christoph Waltz), Silver Linings Playbook (Best Actress—Jennifer Lawrence)
- 2015: Imitation Game (Best Adapted Screenplay—Graham Moore), Citizen Four (Best Documentary Feature)
- 2016: Hateful Eight (Best Original Score—Ennio Morricone)
Apart from his wins with his companies, Weinstein won an Academy Award for producing the acclaimed period film Shakespeare in Love. Thus, while he might have 81 Oscar wins to his name and was at one time one of the most influential figures, his subsequent incineration is a testament that karma is real and that it would eventually catch up do matter what one does!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
