Gretchen Mol has long been the subject of rumors regarding her involvement with Harvey Weinstein. Through blind items and gossip blogs, word spread that Mol had an intermittent relationship with Weinstein that involved sexual favors being traded for professional ones. With the waves now crashing down on the producer and reports of his alleged sexual abuse and misconduct coming from extremely high-profile women like Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow, Mol has written a column for The Hollywood Reporter denouncing her association with Weinstein. “For 10 years or so, I’ve been aware of rumors that I had some kind of transactional relationship with Harvey Weinstein,” writes Mol. “Over the years, it was gleefully embroidered, becoming increasingly bizarre and baroque — but the salacious, slut-shaming and misogynist message to the fable remained the same: In Hollywood, a young woman must build her career by humiliating herself and sleeping with powerful men.” In fact, Mol says, the two had no relationship whatsoever. “People will believe what they want to believe, but I now feel compelled to answer publicly: No. I did not exchange sexual favors with Harvey Weinstein, or anyone, for advancement in my career. I was never paid any settlement. The truth is that I have never been alone in a room with Harvey Weinstein.”
Mol goes on to say that she had heard similar rumors attached to other actress, and she assumed that they, too, were false. She adds that while she was not subjected to “direct assault,” she has often experienced “helplessness, anger and shame” as a result of the gossip. Mol concludes her piece by advocating for those who have felt too minimized to come forward: “We have no reason to feel ashamed.”
