Board members of The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) convened today to vote on Harvey Weinstein‘s future with the group that puts on the Academy Awards each year. Weinstein’s membership with the Movie Academy has been officially revoked by 54 members of the board in a special meeting called for this purpose. This comes as a direct result to the countless sexual misconduct, harassment, and abuse allegations that have been brought against the mogul film producer in the past week.
Weinstein has a large history with the Academy, especially in the major role he played in essentially reinventing Oscar campaigns and leading many of his films, actors, and other talent to a long list of awards in the past. Outing Weinstein certainly points to the end of an era within Hollywood and its various machinations. There is no telling that this will effect any direct change on the future of The Academy, but hopefully it suggests more transparency moving forward for the storied organization and world renowned awards ceremony.
In a statement released by The Academy, they reveal that the ousting of Weinstein is “not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over.”
The BAFTA (British version of The Academy) has already suspended Weinstein’s membership and his future with the Producer’s Guild of America will be put to a vote by the organization on Monday.
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