The Producers Guild of America banned Harvey Weinstein for life on Monday, permanently severing the one-time Hollywood powerhouse’s relationship with an industry trade association that represents more than 8,000 filmmakers.
“This unprecedented step is a reflection of the seriousness with which the Guild regards the numerous reports of Mr. Weinstein’s decades of reprehensible conduct,” the association said in a statement. “Sexual harassment can no longer be tolerated in our industry or within the ranks of Producers Guild membership.”
The guild added that its decision came after Weinstein chose to resign from the association rather than address the allegations that led the group to end his membership.
The board of the studio Weinstein co-founded fired him shortly after allegations of sexual assault and harassment were reported in the New York Times earlier this month. The studio, which could face bankruptcy, is also being investigated New York Attorney General for possible civil rights violations.
Weinstein has denied the allegations, though the list of his accusers had topped 60 by last week, and The New York Times on Monday reported new allegations dating back to the 1970s.
And the avalanche of allegations accusing other powerful men in media and entertainment of sexual misconduct has showed no signs of slowing down. On Sunday, actor Kevin Spacey was the latest to respond to such charges after BuzzFeed reported that, as a 26-year-old, he’d made unwanted sexual advances on actor Anthony Rapp, then only 14.
"I'm beyond horrified to hear his story. I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago," Spacey wrote in a statement. "But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years."