What a bizarre year. Whilst I have been very lucky this year we have all been knocked sideways by the recent Weinstein revelations. The horror stories that are coming out about his properly ghastly behaviour have been heart wrenching. Lysette Anthony has just come out and said that she was raped by the monster, and then had to attend meetings with him. Lysette holds a special and wonderful place in my life. We were at the National Youth Theatre together as young and (fairly) innocent up and comers. Her rendition of "Little White Bull" on the tour bus makes me smile to this day. It was a pretty good gathering of emerging talent. Sally Dexter, Douglas Hodge, Caroline Goodall to name but a few. Thank you Lysette for coming forward with what must be an awful memory, I salute you, and everyone else he has hurt.
People have asked me if I knew about HW, as though, because we are in the same business, we must all have known. I didn't. I have meet the guy a couple of times at premiers and parties, and have always had the same reaction. He is repugnant and leaves you feeling sullied. I saw no redeeming features, but I certainly didn't know he was such a predator. I have heard people say, "Well he looks like...." this or that, but really that's not good enough to condemn him. I just didn't like him. No one can actually know, unless they know, and the ring of silence has been deafening. Perhaps some were at fault for not standing up and saying something, but there is such a huge difference between thinking someone looks like, "a bit of a leech" and knowing he is an aggressive predator.
I applaud all those who have been brave enough to come out in public with a hurt that must feel so private. Those women deserve such respect and let us hope that we are now at a tipping point with this in our industry. I hope it gives strength to those who have yet to come forward about other monsters in other industries.