I love how she so aptly explains that she was not a nobody, she was just a body.
In my twenties I worked as an intern for a very well known drama school that produces future theater, tv and movie stars. One of my duties was to house manage for the plays they did, which among other things meant not letting in latecomers. One night a talent agent showed up late to a play. I told him I absolutely could not let him in as it would disrupt the play. After arguing with me for a bit, he said "Never mind the play, I don't really care about that. Just gimme the names of the hottest girls in it. Who's the sexiest? Who's got the best body? Which ones are blonde?"
I couldn't believe my ears then. Today, sadly I can.
8
I searched my Netflix account to watch your masterpiece. As the woman creative force birthing it, Frida is a great film. I could not find it.
Netflix movies displayed were more diverse, but with lead actor's faces : guy, guy, guy, guy, guy. Not a single woman was featured AND I could not find Frida.
What % of the Netflix accounts are paid by women? Are we getting the content we want? NO. Would our wishes underwrite more movies like Frida? YES.
Women reporters of this excellent newpaper - can you lift this message to the Netflix, Hulu, Comcast, Mediacom of the world - the content underwriters?
Think about the recent Godless series hat falls so far short of a feminist western. Who wrote the female roles? Who put the tired trope of 3 guys at the center yet tricked it out as a progressive western? Why was the excellent Dockery passed off from man to man in the conclusion? Why do these stories our kids watch epically fail at inspiring female empowerment?
On my Comcast and Mediacom accounts I fund sports and hunting and military networks out the wazoo that I never watch. I want DIY network with hammer swinging women like Marnie - (Big Beach Build) and Nicole (Rehab Addict).
I am doing a reno and men have told me to my face I am stealing their jobs as I take on DIY projects with power tools to stay within budget.
I hope this entertainment moment holds up us lunch pail gals trying to balance in a world forever tilted towards men.
23
I’m not a fan of Frida Kahloes art and her weird surrealist style. I believe the reason she is studied and became successful as an artist is because of her marriage to the world famous muralist Diego Riveria – to whom she was openly unfaithful.
I kind of like Salma Hayeks acting but I think she is remarkably cruel to pile on someone (Weinstein) who no matter what helped her to achieve success. Weinstein treated her and many other women and men pretty badly, but no where did anyone claim he set out to torture or murder them which is really what this hit piece is trying to do.
In addition I would think she would be much more embarrassed by the movie ‘From Dawn till Dusk’ released in 1996 directed by Tarantino in which she is basically naked and plays a vampire being groped by all the louts in a bar as she dances across table tops then having to do a full frontal nude scene in the movie “Frida” produced in 2002 six years later.
When it comes to movies Weinstein apparently has a sense of what the public would like to see. Yet, he obviously made Hayek feel small – bad thing. What Hayek is writing here is really legalized character assassination, murder with a pen, a burning at the stake.
10
People speak of courage; there is some power in honesty. Somehow, alpha types often think they are heirs of the right of droit du seigneur. Even if exercising that seems a bridge too far, they might be willing to forego restraining their passions in all their tempestuosness. Men and women pay the price, perhaps not for their survival, but at least for their ambition. When it was all water under the bridge, Harvey sort of asked for forgiveness. I love your story. God bless you. It made you sick to go that far to draw the line, but you managed to keep your legs crossed. I've heard women say that to find the prince, you have to kiss a lot of frogs. It ain't necessarily so.
4
First: kudos to Salma Hayek for telling two stories: Frida and the horror of her relationship with Harvey Weinstein. Second: I am a tired of people saying sexual harassment is not about sex. If you are a victim of it, the 'sexual assault is about power' is something your brain and perhaps your psyche will understand but your emotions, soul, spirit and visceral repugnance of what transpired - doesn't. I can't speak for everyone but trust me: yucky, unwanted, violent, abusive, repulsive sexual acts visited upon your person is recorded by your person as that: unwanted sex. Abuse of power is an intellectual/mind rational that the body and emotions don't get and take eons to heal from.
Third: what about the rest of women (and men) who were and are abused by non-celebrity family members or your foreman or whatnot at a mid level, unexciting company that no one has heard about? How do we help all of them, all of us? Celebrity (now) offers a transparency (and safety) for the whistle-blowers/victims. What about the rest of the #me-too's who have suffered and are still suffering? How do we reach across the divide and find them a safe place to tell their story and heal?
15
Salma Hayek's story makes it clear that Weinstein's undermining of women as artists wasn't peripheral to what he did; it was central to his strategy.
First, dangle the idea that a woman can be taken seriously as an artist. Then, bait and switch and ask for sex. Then (whether she provides sex or not), tell her she's nothing but a sex object and she's a terrible artist. Then, hope that you can use this psychological wound to continue to manipulate her, so that she's hoping to "win back" your approval.
There's actually a name for this: "negging." It's what sleazy pick-up artists do, when they attract a beautiful woman and pick on some little thing ("your neck doesn't match your body") in the hopes of making her insecure and therefore making her eager to please him and prove herself.
But to Salma Hayek: you are a great artist. And he rode to success on the coattails of women like you, not vice versa.
23
I am a movie buff and love movies from the 1930's-1950's. No nudity, no profanity, no special effects, yet I can still enjoy the film as much as a modern-day masterpiece. One detail I found very troubling about Ms. Hayek's story was Weinstein's insistence on the graphic lesbian sex scene in Frida Kahlo movie. It makes me think of movies where it is primarily full frontal nudity for women, and just a butt shot for men. Is this done for the gratification of a director or producer of the film or is it truly necessary? Would a movie provide as much enjoyment or fulfillment for the viewer without such scenes?
23
Bravo ! Salma Hayek is a courageous woman and also a truly articulate writer .
Her courage is wonderfully motivating . I had seen her movie , "Frida" years ago and also admire her as powerful and sensitive actor . One would never imagine that such a talented person would have to go through the hell she had to with that pig , Harvey Weinstein . And this piece , more than anything else I had read , has opened my heart to all the multitude of young girls and women who had faced such trying trials with that rabid dog . Felicitaciones , Salma , tu valor es exemplar . Tus palabras brillan con la verdad , tu sencillez y tu senceridad .
Sigue para alante . Con el poder personal tuyo y tu fuerza de voluntad , mas el valor que tienes tu vas hacer un tremendo ejemplo para otros mujeres a rechasar los abusadores y hablar LA VERDAD . I am married to a beautiful Latina woman , who thankfully never had to suffer the horrible , wretched indignities like you did . However, I cringe in reading of your harsh experiences .
I also have four daughters , three of whom are in the arts . I will surely share your brave story with them ; surely your valor and sincerity will inspire them .
I've become a great fan of yours , and I will search out your work to see and admire . Viva Salma !
11
Having to smile to the devil. Having to let the flames of hell come so close, because there is so much at stake.
Salma outsmarted the predator and had to accept the unacceptable because, under the circumstances, with his power, it unfortunately was.
I can only think of the thousands of battles lost by so many talented woman around the world: Of those that said a bigger no, and lost their dreams. Of those that said yes, paying an unfair and forever traumatic price.
Oh please come registry of harassment reports (non-public, but detailed, official and and available to consult when pressing charges). Wouldn't it be nice that, if a person found the courage to file suit against a predator, more could opt to come out?
11
Wonderful editorial Ms. Hyek.
Have always wondered why we don't see more of you & many other talented actresses / producers /directors /etc. Now we know why some it has happened.
These macho "Men-Men" scum have been the scourge of human kind for ever it seems. And yes, women have been the victims for the most part, but don't think these scum haven't affected the live of countless men as well. They have. They have been the cause of suffering from 1 person right up to the suffering of millions.
And now because of it, it seems all men have become suspect.
Right now, one of them has his itchy finger near the Nuclear trigger. Ready to push because of his Macho insecurity disease.
Just want to say thank you for your courage writing this, and helping to rid the world of "the Weinsteins" out there.
9
Since yesterday I have been thinking about that frontal nude scene.
You know what I think? That somehow or others, those have to go away. They are UTTERLY demeaning to women--both those of us watching and those poor actresses that have to go through it.
Let's be honest. Is there EVER an ARTISTIC reason to show two people having sex? Perhaps occasionally a point can only be made by two naked people--but more often that not, actresses are being used to sell movies.
I bet she is not the first person to need a tranquilizer, a shot etc to do a scene like that. I think it has to stop.
My other observation is this: Hollywood is in serious decline. When was the last time you went to the movies? How does that compare to the past?
Movies these days are about men and for men and I would contend much more than in past years. At least in the past, we used to get chick flicks and romantic comedies. These days the only movies being made are shoot em up crap with women as eye candy. It just has to stop.
Lastly, the other piece that resonated with me was the fact she was not paid as a producer. What a load of crap--but how symbolic of the ways MANY women in the workplace are treated. I have certainly had my contributions diminished in the workplace and I have sort had enough.
The #metoo movement is here to stay--best men being to take us seriously and treat us with the dignity we merit whether at work, on screen and in family life.
16
Thanks for stepping up Ms Hayek and I am so sorry this happened to you and so many others. I hear Mr. Weinstein has rebutted some of your account. I normally believe in free speech, but this ferocious little monster, Weinstein, has abusively used the media to destroy ... so wouldn't it be wonderful and fitting if the entire media never ever printed another word from this monster again! The silence would kill him. Picture an angry man in a room violently yelling with the volume off. Kinda satsifying.
9
Your detailed and moving account confirms for me something I have suspected for years: that seemingly irrelevant and gratuitous sex scenes in otherwise strong works of art may often be there simply to suit the exploitative tastes of certain powerful men. Sometimes it feels as though beautiful young women cannot make it in the film business unless they are willing to copulate for all the world to see.
15
I have always greatly respected you as an artist and a feminist. But you were a sucessfull somebody! someone whose voice may have been heard. I cannot let you use the "disinfranchised" adjectives again You are a beautiful successful woman, if you stood by while a monster terrorized young girls,that is your guilt. No excuse.
3
Sorry people.
America voted and YOUR President endorses this behavior.
It's sad that while the Times will continue to go after Hollywood and Democrats in the House and the Senate, the most powerful predator of all gets to sip his Diet Cokes and laugh at their misfortune.
This fish rots from the head down, and if you fail to address it appropriately, very little will actually change.
14
very sad story
4
Thank you Salma, for perfectly describing the dread and vulnerability I felt also when a male supervisor would disapprovingly threaten many of us with termination over
trumped up mistakes. Of course this was always followed by
sexual assault and demands to “ keep our jobs”, and as
a single mother I felt I had little recourse if I wanted to provide for my child. This man, my monster, eventually was
quietly fired for his atrocities, but there was always the sentiment in the workplace that HE was a great guy who
was framed by us women. We continued to be victimized for daring to tell administration yes, he did all that and more, and the men on the job never quite forgave us for
exposing their buddy Dave. Salma always seemed to have it all, but here she was experiencing all the same fear and
loathing and threats we mere mortals did. Me too, Salma,
and hopefully this will never happen to our grandchildren.
94
Never saw Frida but I look forward to watching it. Just bought it from Amazon for $9.99.
6
It must be close to impossible to write about such pain with so much grace and beauty, but Ms. Hayek has done it. And hers is not the voice of a victim, but the voice of a hero whose journey speaks to all of us.
There are Weinsteins in every part of American life. Not all of the abuse involves sexual violence, intimidation and harassment. We need to broaden the examination of abuse and manipulation -- verbal, economic, physical -- perpetrated on the less powerful by the powerful in all walks of life. It is not acceptable. Too many excuse the "successful" from their excesses, which are often pathological. The era of the cruel boss should be brought to an end.
10
Every word Ms. Hayek wrote is saturated with pain and the heavy burden of living with the memories of the torture this monster inflicted upon her. His response today was shameful. Over 90 women to date have shared the burdensome scars of his selfish, predatory behavior for decades. He caused their careers to be damaged or derailed, their self confidence torpedoed, their ability to trust men compromised. He has the nerve to maintain he has no responsibility?
I know how hard it is to bury that abuse, to tamp it down so deep, just so you can work and live and contribute to the world. Ms. Hayek joins many brave women who are opening their personal Pandora's box of pain to embolden millions of other victims to confront our own painful memories and start long overdue healing and reckoning. Thank you for your eloquent honesty and courage.
7
A moving account. The most moving I have read and one that lays out the complexities and strategies of the monster side of some men. The many levels of the pressure and harassment (not only sexual) was illuminating. And my respects for Ms. Hayek for not giving in. But she should not have forgiven him. This was just too too cruel. And for him to say "WE did a beautiful movie" when he just created obstructions was beyond delusional. Thanks god he "fell in love" with Georgina Chapman--poor desperate woman what she must endure.
5
Bravo, Salma. And thank you Ashley.
6
Wow, just wow - Ms. Hayek,
I believe it's never easy to speak about that harm that is done to us, all of us, by predator: All of us are diminished, the women and men, girls and boys who are the victims of harassment, of this predatory behavior.
My teenage self, emerging into adulthood, young, male, gay, in the late 70's early 80's was fraught. The daily insults, the physical and mental abuse of my peers had a effect that I've spent this lifetime coming to terms with. I think I was a happy child, a kind child, a thoughtful child, open . . . but those years of abuse pulled me in & I shut that person down, because to survive you do what you must. The adults who should have protected me failed me.
How do we reconcile a past that has damaged who you are? Well, we talk about it, we name names when we can, we hold those people accountable. We hold onto the people who have loved us, who love us, we make everyone uncomfortable, we spare no one. We emerge (as Ruth Forman wrote in her poem Let It Heal) "ready to live/ and whole/ ready/ and whole."
9
This creature was an embodiment of the Minotaur.
What would the creative world be like if it didn't have the frisson of sexuality merging with the frisson of creativity? Can the boundaries be pushed one way without pushing another way? Such mythically-proportioned activities as those of HW are repugnant and fully inexcusable and must be called out (and involve power and addiction more than creativity), but art and sex always dance together and we each need to figure out how to call out the boundaries artfully, without killing the fountain of ideas.
5
Ms. Hayek;
Thank you for introducing me to Frida Kahlo.
Well done.
6
An amazing and courageous telling of a story that needs to be told. Thank you Salma Hayek for fighting for your self worth and fighting for your film. All of it, including telling this story took guts. BRAVO!
4
People generally presume that the pursuit of art involves sacrifice and compromise, but this story adds the horrible layer of harassment in excruciating detail. What a horrible setting for creative work, and what fortitude to continue on despite deflating moment after deflating moment. Ms. Hayek tells the story in a way that is convincing, and that will hopefully allow others to reflect on the ways that their own behaviour affects others. I pray there may be just a bit less harassment in the world thanks to this testament.
4
While I applaud Ms.Hayek for publicly speaking out about the harassment that she had to endure, I am less than impressed that someone as powerful and famous and rich as herself had to wait this long for somebody else to blow the whistle before proclaiming “me too”. Even if we accept that she “was trying to save myself the challenge of explaining several things to my loved ones”, has Ms.Hayek been involved in any broad effort or organization all these years to combat sexual harassment in society or in the workplace, or with organizations that help victims of harassment? I don’t believe that Harvey Weinstein is the lone monster out there and my hope is that women in power are taking the lead in combating this menace. Hopefully Ms.Hayek is doing more than just writing a “my monster too” op-ed piece in NYT demonizing Weinstein long after many others have suffered at his hands and someone else had the courage to fight.
3
This is a very moving piece. The movie, "Frida" was a masterpiece and one of my favorite movies of all time. Ms. Hayak is a thoughtful, creative, insightful, hardworking, strong, brave, talented artist. When she writes, : "Years later, when I ran into him at an event, he pulled me aside and (...) Finally, he said to me: “You did well with ‘Frida’; we did a beautiful movie.” I believed him. Harvey would never know how much those words meant to me." My response to this is, while Weinstein wields power and money, he is not an artist. From what we are learning, he uses, assaults and humiliates people. So, I contend, his praise means nothing. The praise that is meaningful comes from the millions who viewed and loved the film and the artists who soulfully created it.
3
When I say "Frida" I had never heard of it or Selma Hyek. Nonetheless, I found it to be one of the very best movies I had seen. Frida" was a work of art and now I know a passionate opus for Ms. Hyek. The sex scene was way out of place and now I understand why it was not left on the cutting room floor. This recount of her experience with the world of power so eloquently lays open the problem of unfettered, dishonorable, self serving power that I hope that this will be widely read.
4
I just tweeted this, saying I've rarely read a more heartfelt and powerful statement of abuse -- and victory. Ms Hayek's story is told like an excerpt from a novel, with a truth that is tragic and yet triumphant. As a male, I can only imagine why and how women react to what we men might see as our "innocent" advances, to say nothing of our flagrant physical offenses.
Weinstein -- and Trump -- represent the worst side of male ego, machismo, and power. The money, the control, the inability to take "No" for an answer -- all reside at the core of so many men who quietly, or loudly, have bullied or intimidated women into submission and silence. We are now seeing that primitive male trait for what it is. Unfortunately, more than the high-profile abusers are paying the price, with families being harmed. The women of courage, those speaking out, have to be supported. The exorcism still has a ways to go.
Men have a lot of relearning and new learning to deal with. Women are and will be the best teachers, but men have to be more open to listening. It can happen. Ms Hayek's story, and the stories of many others, are dynamic enough to serve as an incredible beginning.
5
Reading this, I feel sick, and proud, in equal measure. I have been blessed with a strong mother who has given me an example to follow. A father who has always encouraged me to follow my dreams. Mentors, both male and female, who only wanted me to be the best person I could be.
So many women have had to claw their way up to self-respect by their fingernails, overcoming childhood adversity, abuse, and denigration of every kind. Some are unsung heroes, some become world famous. Some are still trying to fulfill what they, or others, expect of themselves. Some have despaired that they ever will.
I can't say that I know Salma Hayek or her work as much as others do. I can say that after reading this, I will make an effort to do so.
4
Thank you.
4
A well written, perfect example of what should be called intimidation, extortion, and basically racketeering, only worse, because it is with sex. This is criminal. Why is Weinstein not in jail, or at least on trial yet?
6
You write beautifully about a very difficult experience. I feel strange wanting to thank you for sharing something that was so painful.
Weinstein was/is ... an [unprintable] [unprintable].
4
Beautifully written piece about very un-beautiful events. Ms. Hayak has surpassed Frida's courage and spunk. She has grown more beautiful in mind and spirit while Harvey has not only been exposed, but emasculated and de-fanged. I hope this piece will serve as a metaphor for a burgeoning movement of women who not only claim the #MeToo badge but will keep the efforts of women everywhere who are fighting against being victimized.
3
Thank you for your searing account of what it cost you to make a wonderful movie. Ma. Kahlo herself would appreciate the bravery and drive you exhibited to get her story told. The only shame here applies to the idiot who wasted artists’ energy and time to gratify his outsized ego.
Thank you for having the guts to make a beautiful film, even while you were in a hideous situation. Thanks for telling both sides of the story
4
Wow, thanks for telling you story -- reflecting your obvious intelligence and sensitivity.
3
I'm going to check this movie out.
This was hard to read - how absolutely disgusting that this worm of a man could bring so much agony and shame to so many. Bravo, Salma, for speaking out, your voice is powerful.
4
Thank you
3
So well written!
Addressing reasons for the large 'time gap' between events and public sharing for these kind of stories, that so many skeptics and deniers have hard time to understand.
3
Lock him up.
4
Thank you Salma, for having the courage to speak out. These things can be incredibly painful to recall and rehash. Your honestly and willingness to put yourself out there helps cement our ability to speak out in the future. You are brave.
3
Salma Hayek should sue Harvey Weinstein to financially wipe him up and send him behind bars for what else does he deserve?
2
Eight times in this article Ms. Hayek uses the words artist or artistically. Whether she is an artist, I can't tell you. I've never seen any of her movies.
What I can tell you is this. Mr. Weinstein didn't go after her because she is a great actress. He went after her because she was close by and handy, just like he doubtless has gone after dozens, if not hundreds, of waitresses, secretaries and other innocent women who just happened to be handy.
3
When these stories started to break, my initial reaction was wonder that so many men could have done this to so many women, with impunity, for so long a time. My second reaction was to be concerned that innocent men may be tossed out with the bathwater. That men were being fired without due process. That men with relatively "minor" offenses were being grouped with "real" offenders.
While I still do have a concern about due process, I have learned to pay attention and say little. This is so widespread, and so serious, that it needs to keep its momentum and encourage more people to speak up. I also now realize that there are no "minor" offenses, and everyone who uses their position to abuse another is a "real" offender. Further, there have been very few men disputing the charges, which is indicative of how many women and men they have abused, and the knowledge that a denial by them will result in still more women speaking-out.
This is long overdue, and although painful to divulge, I hope that victims of sexual or emotional abuse continue to speak-up and expose those involved. Bravo!
4
I am sitting here stunned and with a sick feeling after reading this story. You are brave for speaking out Ms. Hayek. The more often that women speak out, the more we change hearts, minds and attitudes. Your pain is expressed in every word but so is your strength. Thank you for your courage.
4
Very brave and very moving.
5
Amazingly powerful piece. Surely the Harvey story is a movie to come. Who better to make it than Ms. Hayak.
This is horrifying. Thank you for your courage. And thank you for identifying the people who helped you. I want to believe other men and women come to your defense. I will see every film you produce or star in.
5
Very moving. Thank you for sharing your own personal and painful experience. I'm sure this wasn't easy to write.
I had wondered why Ms. Hayek hadn't been seen in any major roles since her critically acclaimed film 'Frida'. Now, I know why.
3
Dear Ms. Hayek,
Your story brought me to tears. Please don't stop. Make a movie about the "Monsters" in film industry or any other profession. It will be a service and inspiration to all young women looking for a professional career of their choice.
2
I have always enjoyed Ms. Hayek's work, but this makes it even more appreciated. As viewers of art, we do not know the artists, though people think they do, since they seem to 'act' as they would in real life. Her story shows a very real, tortured side, that results in the question, "How can someone like Weinstein exist?" Maybe that changes. I can never imagine the pain and frustration that Ms. Hayek felt, but hope that we continue to battle this attack on people and artists like herself. I doubt the punishment will ever fit the crime, but hopefully Ms. Hayek continues to pursue her art with greater even passion. I want to thank her personally for her art, and am sorry she went through the tortures of Harvey. thank you.
3
A powerful and painful article. I am impressed by its depth and introspection and yet sickened by the details of Weinstein's behavior(s) I almost had to stop reading.
Thank you for sharing your story, Ms Hayek, that could not have been easy.
2
Good for you Salma for telling your story that is so important. Out of all the stories that I’ve heard regarding Harvey Weinstein, this is the first one that went right to my heart. I could actually feel your pain as if it were happening to me, and I’m a male.
I too am an artist. I was a member of the famed New Christy Minstrels in the 60’s. All of us were familiar with the term “The Producers Couch” and all of it’s implications, but never until your story did it have such an impact.
Be proud of what you did and continue to do. You are an inspiration to everyone who knows your story. You are a white Star imbedded in a dark sky, compared to a Black star against a White Background. Sail on SilverGirl.
4
This is one of the best pieces that I've read at nytimes.com this year!
Salma, thank you very much for your honest and heartbreaking account of what you suffered.
2
Thank you Salma Hayek for a beautifully written and heart wrenching piece. I hope this article will help other women not only tell their stories, but realize their true inner strength for surviving terrifying situations such as yours.
2
A great, encouraging message in dark times. Your historical silhouette as an artist is emboldened with this essay. Thank you for sharing your perspective and reason.
1
Brava, Ms. Hayek. Eloquently expressed. I await Mr. Weinstein's lawyers' response. Once summoned, they will surely claim it was "all a misunderstanding."
2
Ms Hayek
You are a beautiful soul and I hope they release a
Hayek version of Frida that you approve.Thank you for portrayjng Detroit in a subtle and beautiful
Light in the movie.Your piece made me wince at the society we are that debased
the art you produced.Thank you for writing this.
2
Selma, like so many women in Hollywood definitely 'paid the price' to realize her dream of "Frieda" being produced and shown. Her very personal, well-told story has me thinking about out how Weinstein's coercive, addictive actions shaped not only the success or failure of many talented women's careers, but how his views also shaped how women are portrayed in society based on his films.
His 'directing, was based on his personal, coercive fixations, his fantasies that he turned into mandates for female actors under his economic and legal control. These coercive acts literally' shaped the context, the dialogues, the action scenes in his films to 'orchestrate' HIS story and HIS views for how women would and would not express themselves in relationship.
This is a total misuse of power.
2
All I can say is thank you.
So many women trying to achieve something - a film, a book, a course, a work of architecture, a position of leadership - never manage to jump all the immense hurdles bullying men place before them just because they are women, hurdles that others standby and allow to be placed. So many women are wounded and hurting and unable to bring to the world the things they were born to create. I salute you for your strength and determination.
3
This is the best expressed article on this unpleasant but vitally important topic which I have yet read. It will be required reading for my thirteen year old daughter this weekend. Eloquence and thoughtfulness are incredibly powerful, ultimately far more so than bullying.
1
So thankful she had the courage to tell her story so honestly. Frida is a terrific film, and she was great in it. What a terrible cost to her personally, though. Not going to say anything about Mr. Weinstein, because I’d much rather say how much I admire Ms. Hayek’s courage and honesty and her love for her craft and the story she wanted to tell to enrich the lives of the rest of us. Thank you, Ms. Hayek!
2
BRAVA, BRAVA, BRAVA!!!!! Thank you for this beautiful, heartfelt, honest story. You are courageous to share it.
You have such stunning physical beauty, Salma, that alone makes you special to most people, but the beauty is more than skin deep. I hope all the young woman see how brave you and others like you are. You are all making a difference. THANK YOU so much.
1
Thanks to the NYT for publishing articles as important as this one in Spanish and in English. We owe enormous thanks to Salma Hayek for sharing this history with such sincerity, commitment with the female artists, and written with such beauty in spite of how painful it must have been to write it. I enjoyed the movie Frida and I shared it with my students, and it could never have crossed my mind all the history of terror that surrounded the making of this movie. This is an excellent article about the diverse ways of exerting the abuse of power against the women that work in the field of the arts and by extension to the minorities.
Gracias al NYT por publicar artículos de esta importancia en español y en inglés. Le debemos unas gracias enormes a Salma Hayek por compartir esta historia con tamaña sinceridad, espíritu de solidaridad con el gremio femenino y escrita con tanta belleza a pesar de que sea tan doloroso lo que se narra. Disfruté la película Frida y la comparto con mis estudiantes pero nunca podría haberme cruzado en la mente toda la historia de horror que rodeó su filmación. Este es un excelente artículo sobre las diversas formas de ejercer el abuso de poder en contra de las mujeres que laboran en el campo de las artes y por extensión en contra de las minorías.
2
I am deeply grateful to Salma Hayek for her testimony about what she experienced, that so many others also have. And I am especially appreciative of the New York Times for your continued emphasis on this painful subject matter.
For the sake of all our children, and a future in which peace and justice are as sustainable as human survival itself, we must continue to drive home this sea change in attitudes, across the world.
Being born a girl should not be some kind of curse. Being a child, or an employee, of anyone, should not expose a person to sexual advances, aggression, or threats.
I recognize the truth is Salma Hayek's accounts because I, too, was threatened. No, not by HW, but please understand: there are at least dozens more like him in LA alone.
Human progress is only possible when everyone is free to make their contribution without intimidation, harassment or discrimination. Predators, abusive bosses, abusive parents, sham clergy: all these abominable types actively impede the advancement of all humanity. That's why we must push back and say: we are getting on with our lives & our work. You criminal narcissists have had your day. No more. We are entering a new epoch in human existence.
2
Harvey Weinstein is an animal. There is no redemption for him. However, you, like many other women did not speak up because to do so was contrary to your career aspirations. To do so allowed the women who came after you to suffer a similar fate. There is no bravery in you, Ashley Judd and the rest to come forward now. The time to be brave was when the harassment occurred.
Salma, Frida has always been my hero; now you are too. Not only did you make a beautiful tribute to her in your film, your perseverance and sheer will are attributes I've long admired in Frida. Thank you beautifully expressing something so ugly; Weinstein disgusts me. You, I adore.
2
Harvey Weinstein should have his Oscar wins revoked for Frida. He won them through sexual coercion and physical threats to the actress/producer of the film.
This whole sordid episode makes me re-think how films are produced in Hollywood, and what we view on screen as the final 'product'. That art was corrupted in Frida for the sake on one man's lustful fantasies should make every one of us ill.
3
I don’t think he hated anything more than the word “no.”
This tells me everything I need to know about Harvey Weinstein and many others just like him. They have Cluster B Personality Disorder, mainly Narcissistic Personality Disorder. They hate the word "no."
If you do a little research on this subject, you will see that so many Personality Disordered people are prone to flock to industries such as the media, entertainment and Hollywood. You may even have a NPD person in your family, such as a domineering mother or mother-in-law who rules the roost. While every instance is unique, you will see so many similarities.
Cluster B Personality Disorders and malignant narcissism. Please look it up and you will understand all of this so much better.
3
The notion that the most beautiful woman in the world could somehow not be attractive in a film role is ludicrous!
1
I'm proud of Ms. Hayek in exposing the creep that Harvey Weinstein is.
She'll go where she wants to go, and Mr. Weinstein can only dream of what he once was, and will never be again.
4
Oh my, what a strong woman
and there are no words left to describe Harvey Weinstein
2
How come the Weinstein Co. HR office did nothing for her? She probably didn't file a complaint. Fear of retaliation. I was harrassed by Ryder Logistics management.Yes the big company for years. Never could tell anyone about it. Eventually got fired from them anyway. It's such a horrible feeling. U blame yourself. I'm still not Right. Never been fired for being a good employee. I hate them. Had to forgive myself for not saying anything. Thanks for sharing
3
Every day I get more courage to report the coach/counselor that raped me when I was 14. Thank you to all the women who spoke up before, including Ms Hayek.
7
I am seething! I've read this and about the women Russell Simmons raped. I cannot believe that talent that was snuffed out by these evil men. We must make a stand now. The revolution must start today.
3
Good for you Selma! I am glad you persisted and you won! No one can take that from you!
2
When is this guy going to jail?
6
The current "sexual assault" hysteria is not about "empowering women" or "justice for women" or any of the other extremely important issues that the Press-titutes and corrupt academics have now co-opted. It is about finishing the job of breaking-apart our community and destroying our fellow-feeling.
When we are afraid to touch one another- when we are afraid to express any kind of sympathy or positive feeling towards one another for fear we will be destroyed by baseless accusations, then the Children of Darkness will have completed their work of making us isolated, individual little narcissists, with no empathy or fellow-feeling for each other.
Such isolated individuals, without Community to help and protect them, are easily manipulated, easy to turn against each other, easily harnessed to serve a master and easily destroyed if troublesome.
1
I tell my daughter, men are dogs.
And there is a boy in every man, who obviously did not learn manners or to respect women as they respect their own mother. In equity and diversity training's today we learn about accepting difference, rejecting intolerance. But in a sense it was the tolerance of such sexist behavior from the people surrounding Harvey that allowed these crimes to happen. Feminist men like me need to step up and shame the Trumps, and listen to the stories like Salma's.
But as histories like Frida and Diego's demonstrate, we have a long way to achieve something resembling a truly egalitarian culture.
1
Economic abuse is linked to sexual exploitation and abuse. The corporate world has this exact scenario operative minus movies and glam clothing. And yes, HR is useless if not an enabler. And yes, it starts in MBA programs. Did no one notice all those conferences with booth bimbos? The rented models at Christmas parties?
3
Stunningly magnificent.
2
I like Hayek, She is one of the beautiful and very good actress, for me her performance in movies are always high quality.
What Ms. Hayek describes makes my mind stun, I am a man, I know Harvey type of people's predatory behavior. What I didn't know that in an intellectual profession like cinema, man exploit reaches same level as rural tribal societies powerful chieftains abuse.
I read Hayek's column with horror, It is horror. This man Weinstein who ever he is, what ever he succeed must be exile to isolated leper island. I am a democrat too, I really want every democrat politician who receive money support from him, must return with a disgust letter attached.
If Roy Moore is a abomination for this nation, Harvey Weinstein too. period
4
Every industry needs a Billie Jean King, someone who will stand up to the entire practice of unequal pay and unequal footing for women. Hollywood has had female studio bosses, producers, directors and A list actors, but no clear leader like a Billie Jean. billie Jean is still fighting, so is Serena. It takes several ilifetimes to chip away at entrenched practices and behavior. this fight is not about Harvey Weinstein. He is one battle.
3
Her spirit shines even more clearly.
2
There are many that get into trouble. Some fear it, some want it. To deal with the former requires courage and the willingness to expose the perpetrator... this works, it must be method 1.
For those that want it, they will find the experience painful, frightening, and destructive long term. Their medicine is far more complex.
Those messed up with Harvey Weinstein asked for it... one way or another. Harsh fact... and it is awful when in ambivalence these women or men allow this... in anticipation, hope, fear, excitement, for whatever cause, they tempt fate and then find themselves trapped.
Sex crimes are as common as bad dirt. When treated, both sides of this crime will be found to have a cause. Sadly, cause cascades from earlier to earliest experiences... always starts at home.
So-called sex therapists are a mixed bag. The field self-sorts. Dangerous.
The tragic life that follows the innocent in Hollywood is also common. The Hollywood life leads to and requires behavior that can destroy individuality and hope. Dangerous.
Harvey Weinstein is most egregious. Directors, actors, dancers, conductors, coaches, all the so-called arts that lead to a stage are traps for those with issues. Either side.
Chamber music within a family when the father and mother are sick is a sure bet. The orchestra is next. And we have the ensembles with the leader philanderer. All common. The rare exception is the healthy.
When the urge hits, all can go way off track.
Remedy is complex.
I can feel your pain and I am sorry you had to endure such abuse.
3
Such a poignant article that projects not vengeance but pity, not submissiveness but courage, not fear but tenacity. Salma has shown them all and then some.
Though it is well known that Hollywood does not glitter as much behind the scenes, the Weinstein (and other) happenings show that it is lecherously ugly. If this can happen to well-known stars such as Salma and others, just imagine what happens to lesser-known actresses. God only knows how many dreams have been crushed by corrupt lechers like Weinstein.
Even though the legal statutes of limitations may have passed for many of these lechers and/or their obscene acts, there is every reason why such people should be nailed to the wall in the court of public opinion, metaphorically that is, of course.
2
Good for you. Courageous and lucky. I am glad you escaped the evilness of Weinstein and can let others know the stakes of succumbing to this monstrous psychopathy of powerful men enslaving women in this way.
2
Bravo Ms. Hayek, you are always perfect and admired you. I however am getting tired of the whole bunch of humans who have what 99% of humans want and still complaining about what happened to you in search of fame and money 15 years ago. If it was so bad why didnt you fight it right away? 99% of us lower people do. Harvey may be a monster but you enabled it. So Harvey single handedly destroyed you ?
To be honest i have been in non drama aka hollywood business 20 years and if I even remotely crossed the lines i know i would be hung for it. Its common sense . And just like you or worse i come from a third world country and earn less than a percent of what you do. I am totally 100% with all the sisterhood but i dont simply dont understand your wealthy helpless situation. Took you 15 years to complain? Esp on a worldwide editorial ? Courts ? They are fair.
1
HARVEY WEINSTEIN Engaged in predatory behaviors, including sexual violence against females (so far as we know). One of his most repugnant behaviors was to intrude into the privacy of the female's homes in order to engage in his sexual abuse by, for example, banging on their doors in the middle of the night in order to force himself upon them. The time has come for survivors of sexual abuse to speak out against the violent acts to which they have been subjected. Now women are beginning to speak out against male predators, representing a major struggle and great courage. Eventually, males will speak out against the sexual abuse they suffered, as in the cases of boys being abused for years by pedophile priests who were, by their actions, condoned by members of the church hierarchy. And there are undoubtedly some cases of females who engage in sexual predation against women and/or men. The time has arrived for us to heal as a society by accepting the suffering of those unfortunates who were abused by sexual violence in relationships of unequal power.
4
Our long night is over, the malevolence which has plagued our lives is falling by the way side, wherever, and whenever it still dares to rear its ugly head. It also means a new day has arrived for the victims of this world, be it sexual, racial, or economic, their nightmare will also come to an end. I think Frieda just started another fire in the homefront of our final world war, as this struggle is quickly turning into a clearing out, of peoples and situations that would despoil our lives. In this new light the hunters are becoming the hunted, now that their folly is being exposed, and thrown out in the open for all to see.
2
We have hundreds of thousands of drug dealers serving multiple decade sentences in federal prison right now and this heinous half human excuse for a man is free as a bird
And sadly, with his money (money he made on the backs of actresses he terrorised and assaulted) and high powered attorneys, he probably won't ever spend a single day in jail
Truely awful
4
Salma Hayek is beautiful and extremely intelligent and charming and an overall massive talent
She's had a strong career but I'd always wondered why she hasn't become a bigger star. Looks like that pig Harvey Weinstein played a significant role in that.
2
I have not seen a story about attractive aggressive women seeking older wealthy men in Florida. When women wanted to speak with my uncle, he would make sure someone else was in the apartment.
Thank you Salma for speaking. Don't worry, whats his face is going to "Make America Great Again".
Thank you for writing your story.
1
All the people who did business with the monster should be ashamed of themselves. I'm not talking about the victims, but the rest of the bunch. It was widely known what an ogre he was. And if you had met him once you knew he was one of the darkest souls you would meet in your life.
3
Wow. What a horrible situation to deal with. What a brave person you are to share your story. You give courage and support to all the other women who go through this.
3
Even a woman as strong, accomplished and brave as Salma Hayek had to hesitate to speak out about this monster. Salma - you are admired by and a role model for so many people in the world. We are behind you and all the other women who have spoken out. None of you should ever have had to experience what this monster put you through. I hope you can all take strength from that.
2
Dear Selman Hayek: I have long admired you as an artist and now I am grateful for your strength, courage, and beautiful spirit. I recognize your story as one which parallels some of my own experiences. It has long been extraordinarily difficult to succeed as a woman in a world that has insisted in mocking our efforts, belittling us in an attempt to distract us from our own greatness, of men taking credit for our work, in men who so fear their own ineptitude that they connive to hurt us spiritually and (or) physically. In women who become brainwashed into concurring with these men and then act to hurt other women. You rose above it all and I send you my congratulations, admiration, and best wishes. Thank you!
3
A beautiful story, written by a beautiful woman about her life with a beast of a human. These stories need to be told and understood by all men and women. It is even more important now that our great country is being led by a Molester in Chief. The page in our great history will stand out for our future citizens just like the Women's Right to Vote, ending of Segregation, well at least open Segregation, in our country, et. al.
This page in our history will only close when we hold our president accountable for his abuse of women.
2
Ms. Hayek,
That you stood your ground and were able to create such a beautiful portrait of an artist, a woman, who was undervalued, and exploited, is remarkable. It is a testament to your talent. You should not berate yourself for not coming forward until now with the full story. The belief that those of us who have been abused will not be believed, or that somehow our experience is "less than," is a deep part of the psychology behind sexual abuse, and the abuser knows and depends upon the burden of guilt that the victim carries in silence.
When will Weinstein be arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to jail, for life?
3
Quite a story. This is what happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object. If you think of male power as money and influence and women's power as their beauty, this was truly an epic clash.
Salma, your my heroine! Great article and as soon as possible fwe nmorning she’s reading no it I told my wife and it became the topic of dinner. Good luck!
1
Ms Hayek,
What a wonderful piece you wrote, one I'm pretty sure will be included in, and referred to in all serious books about the history of of cinema and Howllywood for decades to come. Your description of Weinstein's insistence on the gratuitious sex scene helps explain a lot about how films turn out the way they do. As audiences we have to take a closer look at how women are portrayed in film.
That your creative efforts were so thwarted because you were a woman who said no to Weinstein is infuriating beyond belief. That he tried and failed to reduce your hard work and artistry and even Frieda Calo's accomplishments down to his sexual hunger and nothing else is disgusting.
Your powerful piece shows that sexual harrassment is much more insidious and fundamental than just wanting someone less powerful than oneself for physical gratification: It's about reducing someone to their gender only, and endeavoring to strip away her humanity: creativity, hard work, persistence, intelligence, and accomplishments because they are just completely irrevelent. Congratulations on going to battle with Weinstein and winning.
2
Thank you for this wonderful piece and for your courage to step forward. Let's hope this type of abuse is ending.
2
...and all this sacrifice to tell the story of a woman painter.
Don't stop now, people.
Tell the stories of women painters.
If this movie hadn't been made, life would be that much worse for us. Now at least the door is open a crack.
2
Thank you. Yours is certainly one of the most poignant accounts of harassment I have read. It is all the more so in the way the filming of the outstanding movie “Freida” is woven into your account. Clearly both you and Freida have given us a lot to think about.
2
20 years back, morals were different. People were different, expectations were different and was a totally different country. If you went back and dissected the life of Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King or Abraham Lincoln, you would find a thousand wrongdoings. If I look at my own life, going back 20 years, I would make a lot of changes to my words and actions. Just because a person down doesn't mean we have to step all over him. If someone used you as a sex object because of whatever reason, you too kept quiet because you derived some benefit of it. If he was wrong, so were you. He committed a wrong with just you, but by keeping quiet, you wronged the entire women community. Don't go back many years is all I am saying.
4
An unbelievably painful portrait of a labor of love confronting the savage impulses of absolute power run amok. Thank you, Salma, for your courage in exposing the awful truth about total corruption.
3
It is now perfectly clear why so many promising young actresses disappear from the cinema after a few early roles. Either they refuse to prostitute themselves for powerful men or they get one encounter with the predators running the industry and quickly turn to less menacing careers. To "employ" means "to use." All employees have a right to ask how they are going to be used. Some industries are more exploitive than others. The oil industry comes to mind, and there are many monsters in that field. The young and attractive, the best and the brightest, male or female, can walk through the wrong door or say yes to the wrong man at the wrong time and find themselves trapped in a career prison where "enhanced interrogation techniques" are used to solicit sex or other unsavory favors. I can't imagine what kind of compromises the staffers around Trump have had to make. Regardless of what the pig Harvey Weinstein thinks, Salma Hayek is a GREAT actress. "Frida" was a great movie. Even better was "The Time of Butterflies," which told a story very similar to the one Hayek relates here. So many tragedies in our world today.
6
Great article, gripping story. However, I have to ask who amongst us didn't already know this? Who didn't already know what powerful men do, what Hollywood is like? The most deplorable Trump supporter can tell you that Hollywood is a swamp filled with miscreants who sell sex and violence in exchange for the souls of our children. Where's the news? Oh, right. The news is that some of the worst behavior documented so far has come from liberals. The very people who continually beat Republicans about the head for waging a "war on women". As a lifelong, but former, liberal I can tell you that liberals are plenty misogynist. Let's start with the lyrics of rock music ("Under my thumb", "Always a woman"). Now let's visit academia and science where women don't get tenure, women don't get their papers published (the famous "John Smith" / "Jane Smith" study where the same paper got different reviews depending on which name was given as the author), where women don't win Nobel prizes, where young female students are routinely victimized by sexually predatory professors. Look at technology in Silicon Valley where women are passed over for promotion and recognition again and again. The hypocrisy and mendacity of the liberal ruling class, displayed so prominently during the 2016 presidential campaign and continuing to this very day, is simply breath-taking.
1
Ms. Hayek,
A few months back, I heard you on NPR. You spoke about how hard it was to make Frida when the only parts available to women of Mexican origin were of maids (though you did not tell this horrific tale then). At one point, you said something that caused me to pull up my car on the side of the highway so I could write it down. Your words: "I'd rather have a hard road into excellence than an easy road to mediocrity." No human's -- let alone woman's -- road should be hard be sexual harassment or abuse of any sort ever, and I'm sorry for your pain. I do want you to know that your words were inspiring. Thank you for not letting the hard (horrific) road deter you.
88
Call it courage. Your eloquent writing demonstrates that courage, too, may be borne on the wings of movements long dormant, long in waiting; allowing you and others to speak a truth more fully you only yesterday could not tell. Your writing speaks another truth, as well, in your recounting playing a scene that was forced on you by the threat of your artistic dismemberment in order to preserve and satisfy the lust for power of a sexual predator. It speaks in your visceral responses to the event and in the word gone wind unspoken. Rape. For, rape is what you describe. I hesitated to write in public what I would ordinarily reserve for a private discussion, and one invited. The measure of your courage and person exceeds by light years the stature of a man you describe as complex, but rightly name a monster. Thank you, for your work, your integrity, and for speaking.
4
This story is so visceral that it is dificult to react to it at an intellectual level. My overwhelming reaction to this and all the other stories coming out is one of extreme revulsion. I can recall the Clarence Thomas hearings when Anita Hill accussed him of sexual harassment. Someone was lying. I chose to accept (now) Justice Thomas on the basis that Ms. Hill waited years to tell her story. I now understand how "normal" it is for women to subject themselves to silence. We have sexual predators in the White House (Clinton, Trump), and in Congress (Conyers and Franken). Why not the Supreme Court too?
4
I've reread this a number of times over the past day. It's a searing and troubling account of power and abuse. The place that I stop at though, is here is at the line "I had to say yes."
The writer had to say 'yes' after a long and difficult string of "no" because she was afraid if she did not say 'yes' Weinstein would sabotage the film. She would have lost her movie.
That's a terrible situation to be in. But it's a Faustian bargain. I know that many readers will object, but yes, to get something you want in exchange for something someone else wants, is exactly that. And it's a choice.
35
Ms. Hayek - Congratulations to you for having the courage to have written this very moving story.
I am sorry that you had to endure what we, the public, now know as the vile Harvey Weinstein, a feral pig.
4
Now we know why there are useless, gratuitous sex scenes inserted in an otherwise good movie. I will never question the women about that again.
7
She has a small but very very enjoyable role in The Hitman's Bodyguard. Loved it.
1
This is like reading a horror story. Weinstein belongs behind bars....for a long long time.
7
Salma Hayek is one nasty woman!
What an inspiration to other women, Salma Hayek stood her ground, stayed true to herself and her artistic vision while being extremely bullied and degraded, she said "No" to Harvey Weinstein every step of the way until it broke her.
It is to her credit that she also mentioned, by name her male and female peers who stood by her while all this happening.
I hope a new cut of Frida is released without the sex scene, it would be in bad taste to see that scene in the film with what we now know occurred.
6
Loved Selma Hayek's last two sentences in this moving essay. A woman told told me in her field work towards her PhD thesis, she asked very poor women on both sides of Bengal, Bangla Desh and West Bengal in India if their husbands and mothers-in-law beat them. The answers were 'yes, they beat me but don't deprive me of food, they beat me and deprive me of food, or they don't beat me but stop the food'. One of my friends told me her husband called everyday at 11;00 to tell her what he wanted for lunch which was always an elaborate list. When i asked her why she catered to this, she threw open her walk-in closet and showed me the furs and jewelry.
1
Thank you, Salma, for your courageous words. Your story tells of a far more insidious aspect of power mongering that shakes me to my core. I hope that you've overcome that fear of "being a nobody", because your light shines brighter than any star that Hollywood could bestow on you. Shine on, sister!
3
There is a part of the Harvey Weinstein story that hasn't been told, and Salma Hayek hits upon it here. I'm a 37-year-old woman who doesn't watch Hollywood films anymore because the way women are portrayed is one-dimensional. For the most part, they are bodies. Even neurosurgeons who need 15 years of training are portrayed as 24-year-olds. Women who are ugly, or old, or anything outside of a narrow set of features, do not exist. The statistics are staggering about the number of speaking roles that women have, for example. There is something called the Bechdel test that lots of movies, incredibly, fail. Professor Stacy Smith at USC has studied the portrayal of women in movies and her results are depressing and staggering.
We have been talking about Weinstein's impact on individual women and the culture within Hollywood, but what about his impact on American culture in the movies he and his ilk made? I'm sure there are more women like me who don't go to the movies. Doing so, I avoid the message that I don't exist after age 35, that I ought to date 60-year-olds, and that my work contributions to society not to be portrayed, or that only young beautiful women can be contributors. I avoid those messages by avoiding Hollywood movies, but a lot of preteen, teen and adolescent women watch.
This article emphasizes that Harvey's misogynist influence has been bigger than his predation of women. I hope that beyond Hollywood's internal culture changing, its movies change.
7
Before I knew any better I thought that "casting couch" statements were just jokes, that nobody would put up with such behavior. Now I know that it happened in multiple environments, I even realize that cutting my hair to gain employment was a form of harassment, I wore my hair long as a form of protest of many discriminatory behaviors, as is my right. Now I can't believe these people are not being prosecuted, just losing a job is not enough considering the harm they have caused.
3
I remember going to see “Frida,” with my friends, women writers — we were worried because almost all the films about women artists draw them as mad, emotional volatile, pitiable — they invariably punished them for their choice. Not your Frida! Your portrayed her strength, brilliance, passion, originality. My friends and I rejoiced! A woman artist saw another woman artist for who she was. You brought us into “reality,” the public discourse or understanding. So, you were bring punished because you refused to let yourself and Frida be degraded. Thank you for telling us the story of what it meant to say no to Bluebeard, and yes to your muse.
5
Selma, you are a terrific actress! This behind the scene reveal of Harvey will give so many others the courage to say no. I admire your beauty, your work and fortitude. Men like Harvey, including the likes of ex-president Clinton, should be prosecuted, vilified, and ostracized. I hope that you can now pursue your passion and we can all see you once again on the big screen. Thank you for the courage to share this story.
Wow, thank you so much for writing this. Please make more movies -- we need your voice. Hope you're able to heal from these scars. Wishing you peace.
4
This article was heartbreaking, moving me to tears at Ms. Hayek's suffering.
What an amazing accomplishment to produce this movie after all of the unnecessary hoops and sheer cruelty of Harvey Weinstein.
Weinstein needs to be in jail, or at very least, sued into bankruptcy and oblivion by his victims.
Salma Hayek needs to produce and create more movies. Please do.
I look forward to hearing more of your voice.
2
This story, and Ms. Hayek's telling of it, is moving and powerful. I get a true sense of how dreadful it must have been to find herself faced with this monster again and again.
But I wonder, again, about hearing another story about another actress being victimized and how she had to suffer for her art and for women to be able to express themselves artistically. I am not at all unsympathetic, but I wonder when (if ever) #Metoo and the media are going to tell the stories of real women who experience harassment every day, who may not be fighting for something as lofty as artistic expression, but may be fighting for their livelihood and the survival of their families.
Harassment happens to ordinary women, too, in ordinary places: offices, restaurants, shopping malls, hospitals, schools, governments, churches, etc. I'm happy that things have changed in Hollywood, so a "man" like Weinstein can't do these sorts of things to an actor like Hayek or Judd or any of the many others he victimized. But we can't claim any sort of victory until this sort of thing can't happen to any woman, anywhere, anymore.
80
You are very brave. Thank you for sharing your story.
3
I DO NOT think what this creep was in any way okay, moral, legal, etc... what I do have a problem with is women who complied & got what they wanted out of the deal, profited in both their careers and financially then years or decided to bring this public. It could have been prevented if each of these women were not in it for personal career and monetary gain. I was 16 when I was harassed and threatened and guess what? I had enough sense to say NO. There was NO price on my dignity and self-respect. The fact that these women benefited from these encounters with these men does NOT make them victims, they were willing participants. EVERY single woman who stayed silent FOR YEARS, while knowing these men were still preying on other women is an accomplice. Plain and simple. If I could do that as a teenager, why were these grown adult women not able to do it too? I cannot help but think it is because they too got something out of it. She wants US to applaud her for NOT standing up for herself, and blaming men for her humiliation and failure. "Frida" was filmed in 2000-2001, SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO, and now Hayek FINALLY speaks out. The fact that these women benefited from these encounters with these men does NOT make them victims, they were willing participants. EVERY single woman who stayed silent FOR YEARS, while knowing these men were still preying on other women is an accomplice. Plain and simple.
5
BRAVO SALMA !!! . Thank You for sharing your insights about your monster, and the struggle to produce the Frida film. Your example as a professional artist and individual has inspired thousands of people, most of them women that find in you some who have succeeded on probably one of the world´s most competitive markets: the talent and ideas market at Hollywood. I know one actress who was my friend at the time who back in the late 80s decided to move forward on her life and not take any more sexual harassment she had to endure in Mexico´s industry, so your attitude and example transmitted the spirit you now share with us, but it has been there all the time, and it has been shared with us, all the time during your career. Thank You again, Salma, I am proud of you.
2
Dear Salma:
In my view, what you are portraying in this powerful, astonishingly balanced (given the circumstances) and well-articulated essay goes well beyond the cases of sexual harassment that have been shaking the world in these days. Besides the current, and urgently needed, conversation on gender discrimination in cinema (and elsewhere), I think that your piece makes the case for more action against incivility in the workplace in general. This subject, which has been preying many so-called civilized societies, and their organizations, for a long time, has now become itself an object of academic research and it is speaking volumes about the moral damage this sort of behaviour can cause to people, while affecting their productivity and creativity. It ultimately costs billions to the society because, among other factors, it involves a high rate of turnover in many organizations and because it prevents many highly talented people to realize their full potential. It is imperative that, for the sake of all those who have suffered this kind of unfairness, this issue be taken seriously. And your article is contributing a lot to highlight it, of which sexual harassment is definitely one of its most hideous manifestations.
2
Stunning and heartbreaking in so many ways... I don't know what is worse the issue of sexual harassment or the gross abuse of artists who rightfully should be appreciated and compensated for their outstanding work and contributions to the world. The toxic combination of the two reveals the very real struggle of those in the arts, often left vulnerable and exploited in so many ways for merely pursuing their passions and careers. Thank you, Salma for having the courage to write and publish this piece and fighting hard to make Frida the fine film that it is!
3
Wow. Classic abusive personality--unpredictable--sometimes generous and giving, other times insane. It is tragic that a talented, intelligent, dedicated person who also happens to be beautiful had to deal with it.
I have seen "Frida" twice, first in a theater and later on DVD. The colors, the soundtrack, the acting, and the script are wonderful. And ever since, I have been wondering why you weren't in more movies. Now we know.
2
Salma among the many other woman who have come forward to share their stories of abuse in the workplace have paved the way for a very important conversation. As the many #metoo related stories have surfaced, there’s something that many young people, including myself, would benefit from hearing from these influential and famous actresses: How do we flip the script? We know Harvey Weinstein among many other disgraceful men are monsters, so how do we stop seeking their validation? How do we humiliate them in the moment instead of having victims burden themselves for years? How do we teach young people that no person no matter how powerful someone is, no one should disrespect them? How should young people react when powerful people threaten them, manipulate them, or harass them? How do we teach people that no job, no role, no title, is more important than the respect we demand for ourselves? Many woman have been through “wars” as Salma puts it, but as seasoned victims, the next part of the narrative these influencers share needs to be how to prevent the wars. The message to young people should be dominated by refusal to stand for such treatment. The conversation needs to evolve from “I was manipulated, I endured this, and I am now speaking out,” to “I felt the confidence and power to shut this behavior down instantly and leave the monster in shame.”
1
Dear Salma:
In my view, what you are portraying in this powerful, astonishingly balanced (given the circumstances) and well-articulated essay goes well beyond the cases of sexual harassment that have been shaking the world in these days. Besides the current, and urgently needed, conversation on gender discrimination in cinema (and elsewhere), I think that your piece makes the case for more action against incivility in the workplace in general. This subject, which has been preying many societies, and their organizations, for a long time, has now become itself an object of academic research and it is speaking volumes about the moral damage this sort of behaviour can cause to people, while affecting their productivity and creativity. It ultimately costs billions to the society because, among other factors, it involves a high rate of turnover in many organizations and because it prevents many highly talented people to realize their full potential. Your article is contributing a lot to highlight this issue, of which sexual harassment is definitely one of its most hideous manifestations.
2
What strikes me as I read all these stories about Weinstein and others is that sniggering cliche about how how some famous actress became a star only because she "slept her way to the top." Thanks and kudos to Ms. Hayek and others for their bravery in coming forward with the rest of the story.
6
Thank you, Salma Hayek, for not just adding your name to the list of those abused by Harvey Weinstein.
This piece is more meaningful than that; it conveys with a vivid additional dimension the personal toll a truly hateful man's abuses takes on its victims.
Countless talented and intelligent women have been deterred from pursuing their careers and prevented from making valuable contributions because of experiences similar to yours in many different contexts.
But because you had aims and needs beyond a mere desire for fame and approval, and because you had the vision and perseverance to see your passion project through, you succeeded despite the below-the-surface anger, humiliation and disgust.
By lending your voice to the cries for reform of abusive work environments and industry segments, there's a chance you will have saved others from being unnecessarily subject to similar behavior.
56
Ms. Hayek,
I picture you writing this piece. Agonizing over it. Stopping. Crying. Leaving it. Coming back. Changing your mind about doing it at all. Writing, in a rush, through some sections. Slowly, carefully, detailing others. Calmly, almost coolly, writing those statistics at the end... a gift to yourself for having made it through the hardest parts.
Almost like making the movie itself.
Thank you for pushing through both. Only when we consciously, mindfully address our bullies can we survive and soar. You have done that.
3
Thank you for sharing your story. That took a lot of courage and faith that the truth will indeed set you free. I just hope Weistein goes to prison because that is where he belongs. Let this change the way we work and live together. Harvey was a bully in the most deepest sence of the word. Have a happy holiday season knowning that you have told your truth.
2
Enduring abuse and harrassment is soul-crushing on every level--no matter what your position in life. Then to come out years later and admit what your went through and kept silent about is almost like being abused again. This took such courage, so well-told and easy to understand how this horror proliferated and went unchecked for so long. I though Frida was a beautiful movie, marred by that gratuitous scene. I did not understand why it was there. Now I know.
3
Dear Selma - thank you for this honest, powerful and heart-breaking piece. And thank you for your courage, your candor and your noble heart. Please know that this sad recitation of the monster's sordid, sick behavior does not define you in my eyes, nor the eyes of millions. No, what defines you is your exceptional talent, your wise artistic choices, your dogged professionalism, your determination, and your dreams. You and your work are invaluable inspirations to us all. Thank you.
2
Wow - thought I would read the first paragraph and feel like that would be enough, but it is so beautifully told that I read to the end. She captures perfectly all the conflicting emotions of the abused.
3
What a powerful story – I’ve always admired Ms. Hayek, but after reading this I’m deeply impressed by her strength of character. How many others are suffering under the yoke of cruelty at the hands of those with power over their lives. My favorite phrase in the article is the “phalanx of angels” who came to her rescue. We could use more such angels.
2
Thank you, Ms. Hayek.
This article is poignant, moving, brilliant and worthy of a screenplay adaptation.
I hope you produce your story into a film. It is a story and commentary that needs to be retold. Your "no" will empower countless women all over the world.
2
Thank you Salma Hayek. An extraordinary addition to the conversation about the abuse of power. It is much more multidimensional than simply being sexually victimized (as if that weren't enough). It is about having to go to such extraordinary personal and professional lengths to protect and pursue the integrity of a project and the colleagues you brought to it. A film about another woman artist it should be noted..who thanks to you brought her story public through your beautiful and poignant work. As feminist theorist Hélène Cixous argued, "women are spoken of and for, but are very rarely allowed to speak themselves, [therefore] it is imperative that women become speaking subjects, rather than silent objects." As a fellow female filmmaker, my heartfelt thanks to you for speaking out on behalf of us all...indeed as you said "Women are talking today because, in this new era, we finally can." And, perhaps for the first time, we are being heard.
3
Dear Ms. Hayek, Frida is one of my all-time favorite films. You did a wonderful thing in making it, despite the monster you had to deal with. Thank you for writing.
4
So grateful for this wonderful actress and her courage.
3
Thank you.
When I was a 25 year old graduate student in theatre performance at Ohio State I was cast in the role of Jill in Equus, which includes a nude scene. I remember the director telling me that I could only have the role if I lost ten pounds. (I weighed 105, by the way, and 5 ft. tall). The only thing I asked was that when we rehearsed the nude scene that all doors to the theatre would be closed so students wandering the student union wouldn't be coming in. That didn't happen. I was looked down upon by this male director the entire time. But I was the one nominated for the Irene Ryan Award by an outside panel of professionals. And this teacher also had an affair with a student in our MFA class. Guess who always got an A and always got the leads?
A very small story compared to your monster. One of millions, I'm sure.
7
Ms. Hayek's story is truly horrible. Harvey Weinstein had no scruples about what he was doing to anyone. Like most bullies, predators, and harassers he got away with it for so long because he had something that the people he hurt needed: influence and money. Some people are generous to a fault with their successes and go out of their way to help others. Then there are people like Harvey Weinstein who are generous with their less than stellar qualities and enjoy hurting others, preying upon them sexually and otherwise.
Yet as Ms. Hayek and other well known women tell their stories other women who haven't got her name recognition or talent continue to be treated like like trash. Ms. Hayek didn't speak out for the same reasons these women don't: work, self respect, and wanting to be seen as decent forgiving human beings. From my own experience with sexual harassment I suspect that there is also another factor at play here. Disbelief that any person, male or female, could treat another person so poorly without a good reason. That's the doubt people like Weinstein, Trump, Moore, and others count on. As women we are often exhorted to be kind to the guy, don't wreck his career over a little misunderstanding (or else we'll wreck yours is the implication).
As Ms. Hayek showed it was not a little misunderstanding. Her body rebelled so violently that she needed a tranquilizer. There is no reason any woman, famous or not, should have to tolerate this sort of conduct.
10
Ms. Hayek, your story is told with the power and intelligence that you have, and have always had. I believe every woman in the world should hear it just as you have written, as it will give them courage and for many, validation. Thank you.
3
If she wishes, Ms. Hayek should update the movie to remove the scene described in her piece and then host a showing with all the people who love and support her. Harvey won't be invited, of course, but perhaps also won't be able to attend because he's been locked up.
5
Wow! What a beautiful and powerful story. The truth of what goes on behind the camera. Thank you Salma Hayek for sharing. This took a lot of strength and guts to share this story.
2
Thank you for sharing your story, Ms. Hayek. It took a lot of bravery, courage to do so. Thank you for adding your voice.
2
Thank you for sharing your story. You have a powerful voice.
2
Thank You Selma. This story breaks my heart but makes me admire you so much. There are so many places in this story that you could have lost heart and given up. You are a warrior and and a great artist. You are my hero.
4
All my respects dear Salma. First I must confess that I spent my days as a teenager, as any other teenager during the 1990s, impressed with your beauty and warmth as an actress. I very much enjoyed your work with Robert Rodriguez and with Tarantino. But when I saw Frida (as someone born in Latin America I know what this great artist represents), I revered you.
Reading your interviews and now this article, I realize how vulnerable one can feel in a predating and discriminatory environment. I know a great deal about this because, like you, I’m also an emigrant who have had to struggle in order to prove his value to manipulative, and abusive, gatekeepers every single day of his emigrant life.
But my experience does not match yours. Even as a man, I’m not sure I would have had both the courage and the stamina to remain focused on my work within the pressuring context you describe; and finally deliver, in a big way, as you did. Again, allow me to pay respects to your artistry and determination. They are inspiring.
11
Selma Hayek’s story of the production of “Frida” is a major contribution to film history. What Ms. Hayek endured in bringing this picture to the screen was not unlike what Frida endured in her most productive years and what would have been the “backstory” turns out to be the main story.
Every Sunday during WW II, my brother took my sister and I to the Detroit Institute of Arts and our stay would end sitting in the Fountain Room captivated by the Rivera Frescoes. Thirty years later, a more enlightened museum removed the fountains, the flora (the humidly was damaging the frescoes) and renamed the vaulted room "The Rivera Court."
What is remarkable about the Hayek film is that it not only tells Frida’s main story but also picks up the turbulent politics and social nuances in Mexico and the United States. One of Pearl Primus’ dancers Modelle Boss (also a model for several of Rivera’s paintings) was actually living in the house when Trotsky was assassinated—even her character appeared briefly in the Hayek film.
Almost yearly, the museum has some sort of retrospection of Diego Rivera, his works and the works of Frida Kahlo–especially things she did while in Detroit. (The catalogue of the exhibit “Rivera & Kahlo in Detroit—Mar-July 2015” is remarkably detailed about Frida’s stay in Detroit while the murals were being completed).
Selma Hayek’s persistence in bringing this story to the screen against Harvey Weinstein’s perverted obstacles is a remarkable achievement.
10
And, typically, neither "Frida", nor Ms. Hayek, won Oscars. So the history of film has many empty files yet to be filled.
1
Well written, compeling and courageous article... I hope other women will be as courageous when it comes to tackle other powerful men, including the president of the United States !
13
Thank you Ms. Hayek. Your devotion to the story of your hero and your country are inspirational. I can only imagine the courage it took to persevere and complete the odyssey that is Frida. It is a beautiful film, made more so by the revelations you have shared with us in this article.
Abraham Lincoln wrote that "The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here". I posit that the world will long remember what courageous women such as yourself have done to make this world safer, and more nourishing for all of God's children.
5
Dear Salma Hayek, I want you to know how important your film Frida was to me and my high school students. I taught art for 27 years in San Francisco and served mostly poor black and Latino underexposed and under served students. Watching Frida was mandatory year after year in my class. Students loved the movie and I always felt having them learn about Frida was one of the most important gifts I could give to them. I was horrified to learn of the brutality you endured for the movie to be made. I am really sorry. But I can't tell you how much that movie has meant to me and my many students who saw in Frida the qualities necessary to face the raw challenges of living a fully expressed life. Thank you for your sacrifice.
28
What a powerful woman! I am sorry you had to endure that, Ms. Hayek. But you did. Perhaps, the Creator had a purpose that you tell this story in order to elevate this society and this world. Thank you for your passion and I wish you luck in your future endeavors .
3
Before this article, not too many people knew about Salma's tenacity and fortitude once she starts a project. In another project of hers, The Prophet, which took 4 years to develop (hopefully without dealing with Weinstein-like men), Salma's passion, motivation, and devotion to telling a story was so evident in her eyes when I saw her here in Lebanon at Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum. Thank you, Salma.
13
Excellent, terrifying story. I am glad stories like this are getting told. The strength of Ms. Hayek both in enduring this experience and telling the story is remarkable.
13
Would this be a good time to ask yet again why Mr. Weinstein is not behind bars?
21
Because Cyrus Vance Jr.'s office didn't want to prosecute a powerful figure. Again.
1
Dear Ms. Hayek,
Thank you for being so brave and telling this story. It was beautifully written and hard to read. Thank you for adding your strong voice to this story and hopefully find greater peace in doing so. As a society, we can be so much better and you are helping us get there.
This is not okay and everyone needs to work to make it better. We will.
10
Thank you Ms Hayek for writing with courage and clarity about your ordeal. You made me understand.
8
All of you women out their should know that there are many, many men that are very happy about these changes and the awakening of our society concerning the shutdown of this widespread injustice. It is amazing that we will eventually get past this stage and look back on these changes with pride as a progressive, modern society, with people like Salma integrated into our history books/websites as heroines! I imagine women will also not stop there and fight for others, too and further enrich our civilization.
9
Thank you, Salma Hayek, for persisting and making "Frida." And for sharing your story. Perhaps in the future it will not be so difficult for women to make these kinds of films, and to make them on their own terms. Clearly, we need more women in charge.
8
Thank you, Ms. Hayek. You've done a great service by telling your story.
8
Thank you, Salma. I have always loved you and your work and now I admire you even more. Thank you for fighting, and now for sharing your story.
9
Imagine... it took a beautiful, confident and famous woman like Hayek so much time to come forward. And then we doubt the 8-9 not-so-famous women who were victims of the powerful DA Moore or the 16 women who were victims of the powerful businessman Trump and wonder why they did not come forward sooner. Shame of us! It is that foreknowledge that we would not accept their accounts and suspect their motives that keeps women from talking about their experiences for decades.
43
Thank you Ms Hayek for this difficult piece. Your story is painful to read and yet so well written that its power is magnified. I appreciate what you have written and hope its publication can help you find peace with these events and help others. HW is a monster, yes.
13
Thank you for sharing your story. You are an inspiration to women, but especially to Latina women. Each of us that has a story to tell and chooses to tell it is brave and contributes to unifying the many voices into one, strong voice. Sometimes that voice screams. Other times it whispers. But what matters is that the words are exposed to the open air, for only then do wounds begin to heal. "¡Ya, basta!"
9
Salma ~ I love "Frida" and your performance in it! I admire your dedication to her memory in making the film and I believe she would have loved you for it. I now have an even greater respect for you and the film knowing what you endured to get it made. I doubt I would have had your strength and I'm thankful that as horrible as he was towards you, that he wasn't able to take things any further. Several people on here have already stated very eloquently how I also feel about you having told the world your painful story. So I will just say a simple "THANK YOU."
6
This breaks my heart. Frida is one of my favorite movies and I am deeply saddened to hear that it was created in such a traumatic environment. I hope that Salma Hayek, Julie Taymor and all of the other women who worked on this movie know what a beautiful piece of art they created, in spite of it all. I hope the film, in addition to everything else it already means and represents to women like me- will also stand as a testament to the radical courage required of women to make art in this world. Thank you for your voices, your art, and your sacrifices. I stand in awe of you all.
15
THANK YOU! Salma Hayek - you inspire! Have always loved your work and so much appreciate you telling this story.
4
Boy, this would make a great movie directed by a woman who would understand more the humiliation and suffering men like Weinstein can cause. Thanks for speaking out, Ms. Hayek, and I hope you do this film if you have a notion to. You were fortunate to have such good friends come to your rescue, but what you had to endure form Weinstein is unconscionable.
Hopefully, you and all the other women speaking out will put an end to this pattern of abuse alive and well wherever women want better jobs than mopping the floor, and God knows, if we understood how many women just mopping the floor have endured abuse, we would all shudder.
10
It's heartbreaking to read your story and think that you had to endure all that abuse and aggravation just to realize your dream. You are such a strong woman Ms. Hayek and I'm glad that you saw your project come to fruition and get the acclaim that it deserved. Weinstein has obviously hurt and stymied so many women in their careers and I have to wonder if it's actually brought him real satisfaction. He obviously a very sick, miserable, man.
7
The sad thing is that whatever it is that happens to Weinstein, he'll still have his money and the power that goes with it.
He needs to be stripped of it all, put in a locked room, and given a gun with a single bullet.
7
No, he will no longer have any power.
2
Its never to late Ms. Hayek to voice your soul with words well spoken. You too have revealed the hideous monster previously known to the world as film maker HW, ugh, what A CREEP.
7
This is by far the best piece I've read about Weinstein; He is a total predator; not only is he a sexual predator, he's a real monster; to let her do all the work; get the financing; the high score and he gets two Oscars.
Oscars cannot be revoked, but they should consider giving her something in hindsight; I believe her wholeheartedly. I saw Frida, it was an excellent movie, one of the better movies I've seen about a great artist many never heard of; Diego Rivera is one of the best artists to document the value of labor;
He deserves some jail time.
15
bravo!
2
Frida was a great movie. I didn't know Weinstein had anything to do with it. Well, apparently it was made in spite of Weinstein. Selma Hayek is a great actress and she is very beautiful too!
6
Unbelievable abuse. It hurts just to read it. Unimaginable that so many went through this. And incredible that HW has a female spokesperson who continually denies his behavior.
9
Salma Hayek's persistence to get her film made is a testament to her strength and courage.
Mr. Weinstein's actions are a testament to his weakness and cowardice.
10
Compassionate women can get confused about boundaries and forgiveness very easily. Speaking as a compassionate woman, I appreciated this aspect of Hayek's piece. We can be hopeful about someone changing, especially when it is someone we admire and look up to. That is how a cycle of abuse may start. And it's difficult to know how to deal with a cycle when we are right in the middle of it. Take the stories out of the dark and into the brightness of truth for healing to begin. More than half the country did not want to knowingly bring abuse of power into the oval office. Truth will always win, though the longer it is ignored the more damage will be done.
6
We should be listening to our bodies’ first reactions to sexual harassment and sexual assault. I guarantee you that this reaction is not one of compassion, but of suppressed rage. The compassion of which you speak is culturally thrust upon women to keep them quiet.
1
It would be not only immoral but unwise for any company with top figures accused of sexual harassment or assault not to immediately investigate and take action. Women who are entering the entertainment industry are more inclined to work for companies that provide them a safer work environment. Companies that tolerate sexual harassment will miss out on a capable and talented portion of the population. Common sense fully supports that companies with a broader pool of potential employees will better be able to pick more qualified employees, and in turn, will thrive in the marketplace. It's time for us to stop holding back fellow humans and instead promote the advantages of diversity. This idea is perfectly summed up by one quote from Malala Yousafzai: "We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back."
6
Thank you, Selma. You are my hero. So very proud of you.
4
I am sorry and the logistics are somewhat explained here. 99% of the public works for small business, insurance, manufacturing, food service and other organizations where they are so busy and not well paid so there is no possibility of this happening. Actresses, newspeople (esp foxiness) and other media types are almost all good looking and outgoing and have much more opportunity to be exploited as they exploit their talents. I honestly dont know anyone who has had anything more than a person they don't like ask them out once or twice. Am I boring? Yes but most of us are
6
Sexual harassment can occur in any workplace. Women who are not in the entertainment industry have also experienced discrimination during their careers- for example, women in Wall Street and Silicon Valley have been harassed. In fact, women at the bottom of a company's hierarchy, such as women with manual jobs, are subject to harassment that is often ignored by their higher-ups. I would recommend reading The Economist's October article: https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21730409-how-workplaces-can-rid-t...
14
The service industry is full of sexual harassment, abuse and rape. I've known many women who worked in food service and they all have multiple stories of customers, co-workers and managers harassing them sexually.
3
Are you kidding? Every woman I know over the age of 60 has been sexually harassed or worse at the workplace (or by a boss) and 100 percent of women I know have endured some type of sex harassment, at a minimum on the street or subway. Which planet do you live on..?
2
This is beautifully written; absolutely heartbreaking. It resonates on every level, imparting why these crimes are so heinous. I had unfounded beliefs too. I thought I'd learned to deal with these horrors, but I've simply been managing an unmanageable reality. I've personally represented numerous women who have been sexually assaulted. It's outrageous and dispiriting that predators like Weinstein, who victimized Hayek, and countless others, paid no price for their crimes. It's infuriating to hear people argue that victims either did not bring a criminal case, or settled. Ms. Hayek tells us exactly why this happens. Victims feel shame, fear that no one will believe them, seek to forgive, and diminish the severity of what has occurred. Predators are shameless, even boasting of their crimes. I have tears in my eyes as I write this. Ms. Hayek has shown me that I was kidding myself; I doubt I'll sleep tonight, as I never slept when a predator escaped justice. Ms. Hayek poignantly shows that trying to put horrible things that happen to you, or that you witness, in the past, is no solution. Hayek states this is "a society that elected a president who has been accused of sexual harassment and assault by more than a dozen women and whom we have all heard make a statement about how a man in power can do anything he wants to women." It was true; hopefully no longer. There is finally a groundswell that can change all of this. It is time that predators live in fear, not their victims.
14
Well said Salma..well done!
6
Salma,
I thought so much of all this calling men out was a witchhunt. But you have to do your own investigating and decide for yourself. As far as I can tell, too many people with the same story to be a coincidence. When I first heard about 'Frieda' in the theatres,, I elected not to see it because when I was in college I had women who approached me sexually over the phone and the lesbian concepts in the film preview turned me off. Reading your article has changed my mind. Before I became a writer of film reviews and maybe one day a short story, I was in Social Work in college. Seems no matter how much time goes by and you think you are over it, God has other plans. But you seemed to have handled this the right way and have won. You have given so many women courage to do the same thing, Salma.
I said I changed my mind about seeing 'Frieda', although its a little late, look for my review on Google+! I have a good feeling about it, my fundamentalist Christian views aside . . .
Colleen
2
Salma,
Thank you for your story. I loved the film and your commitment to making it. Now you have explained the nude scene, which never made sense to me, and now it all makes sense.
8
Again, I am hearing from friend on friend and the comment is always thankful to Ms. Hayek. I am thankful for and to you and will always keep you as an inspiration.
2
Some men have recently asked me about why woman are "suddenly" coming forward complaining about this. I have told them that it is not for any motive - no woman wishes this upon themselves for attention. It's that now we are finally truly feeling heard. We always could tell, but it's a big difference to be believed. Men don't seem to necessarily get the difference.
19
Tell those that ask that more women are coming out now because there is safety in numbers.. that the more that come out the better... because coming forward takes incredible courage because victims of abuse always are questioned, doubted and re-victimized.. they have to prove that the abuse took place.. they are made to feel all over again that they have no voice, that they are worthless and no one cares or believes them, and that they may be attacked themselves just for telling the truth.
Tell those men who ask you that this is not a conspiracy against men... that as women this is our reality!
14
Thank you for your candid and brave account. It is not often that ordinary women can connect to "movie stars" but your experience contains many moments to which all women can relate. What I also find so admirable in your story is your willingness to go beyond gender, to acknowledge the good men in your life.
6
Heartbreaking and awe inspiring. Thank you for sharing your story.
7
Wow, thank you Ms. Hayek.
9
I would like to think, and I believe I am right to hope that your fellow artists who were associated with your work on Frida would have been horrified if they knew what a sacrifice of body and soul that repulsive slug was demanding of you as the price of continuing your hard earned project. Your exquisitely written recital of the facts devastated me. As you said, even a grown woman has a girl inside her; and so there you were, a mere girl, showing a nobility of spirit and a generosity of heart beyond the capabilities of most men.You took one for the team, You are a hero and a darling to this sixty-nine year old who does not have a daughter on whom to shower her pride and respect. Thank you,
11
Thank you.
6
Thank you.
8
I vote for Salma to do a remake of Frida, in the way she originally sought to do it. Not some unadulterated, sexed up, perverted Hollywood version.
11
very proud of you
5
Every time I see a photograph of the half-shaven Harvey Weinstein, I think it should be captioned "Oink Oink." The man was such a pig. Thank you, Salma Hayek, for sharing your story.
5
I can see it now. Frida Kahlo responding to the monster just as you bravely did Salma. Indeed, of course Harvey the monster hated making a movie that tells the story of a strong real world woman who he could never manipulate and abuse - a woman certainly stronger than he could ever be.
An amazing film of an amazing Mexican, Woman and Artist, played convincingly by a talented Mexican, Woman and Artist. After reading this I can't help but think that the strength and perseverance needed to fight a real world monster helped in Salma in conveying Frida's painful life.
The movie also brought back memories of my youth growing up in Mexico, driving past the two houses of Diego and Frida in San Angel every morning on my way to the Edron British school several blocks away. My parents were fans of hers, dragging me to see her art in a Blue House in Coyoacan. As a kid I thought the art was kind of cool in a weird way, but decades later and with a bit more maturity, I found the art profound and still kind of weird. After seeing the movie, Frida's art is now all the more painfully relatable.
Indeed, who is Diego Rivera? - oh yea, he was the husband of Frida Kahlo's.
Thanks for acknowledging the good guys too. We are not all monsters. Harvey can go back to making porn.
Salma, I am grateful to you for a beautiful and moving film you created about a Mexican, a Woman, an Artist and a Treasure.
7
Thank You Mr. Batka.
Well I have never seen this movie but now I must. You. Go. Girl.
5
Dear Ms. Hayak: Your movie was beautiful, every frame. Your emotional connection to the material came through, and the soundtrack was also marvelous. Your accomplishment is all the more significant for what you had to endure at the hands of this disgusting excuse for a human being and for your performances afterward (pretending civility) whenever your path crossed that of Weinstein. Thank you for having the courage to disclose the sordid details of your treatment by this jerk, I am sure that it was not pleasant to revisit this humiliation and mistreatment. What is the saying? Sunlight is the best disinfectant. He cannot hurt you or anyone else any more.
6
To me all of Hollywood movie culture is the perverse and horrific pressure that Salma was subjected to in doing the erotic scene, writ large. Imagine the number of erotic scenes that would not be included in movies, the amount of demeaning roles for women coquettishly bowing to their male pursuers all to easily, relenting to sex after boorish behavior or being depicted in stereotypical diffident roles. Hollywood gives women a bad name because thats what powerful men want, to perpetuate a culture in which they can get away with tremendous abuses. You have to think of the majority of films as a means of propaganda for abusers, if not the entire film, then enough scenes to corrupt the identity of women. Shameful and we keep watching them.
9
Beautifully written, and straight from the heart. Is it any wonder that women go unrecognized in Hollywood unless they're in front the camera?
6
Until this article, I had not fully grasped the Weinstein situation. I, ignorantly, thought of it all as "misplaced" sexual advances.
Boy, was I wrong.
11
Will Trump to call Hayek a liar too--in support of Weinstein--another "Bathsheba Syndrome" monster. ("Sufferer" is too tame--even if it's a mental disorder--the rich and powerful think harassment and assault of women/girls is a natural right of power--see David--Bathsheba.)
Huckabee Sanders says (straight faced) Trump "used that same terminology [about Gillibrand] many times in reference to men. There’s no way that this is sexist at all.”
OK--Suppose Trump has claimed some men as well as women ( Gillibrand especially) “would do anything” for campaign contributions.
This could be spun as gender neutral (given evidence that he's said it about men).
But--considering the source--it is obviously about sex--and so "sexist" in that sense.
According Huckabee Sanders Trump is claiming some men and women candidates are sex traders.
The pot, then, is calling the kettle black. We can expect Trump to call Hayek a liar too.
2
Salma Hayek, I'm not familiar with a lot of films and hence with your work but I saw Frida and now I've read this piece from you. This is perhaps one the most articulate, refined and intelligent articles I've ever read - about anything. Your experiences with Harvey come through terrifying clearly, the philosophical analyses you've performed about society, women, bullies, Harvey are more profound and deeply satisfying than I've ever found - to the extent that you've explained my experiences in similar settings (professional, non-artistic) to me.
Equally what comes through are the kindness of your islands of light - Edward Norton has now become my second most favourite actor, if you are the now-favourite.
Harvey is an even bigger monster than he was 10minutes ago. Having said that, whilst women in the arts are coming forward to get their dignity back, there are Harvey Weinsteins in droves in most businesses and I hope your essay here empowers all those of us in other spheres to stop accepting getting pulled, pushed and pushed aside and face our monsters, too.
Thank you for your outstanding article and I am so deeply horrified at the scandalous behaviour you faced - to get your work published.
15
That was devastating. Thank you , Ms. Hayek, for taking the time to share these experiences with us. No doubt it is still very painful to elucidate in such detail, but this can only help people to understand what really goes on, even for someone like you who some might see to be in a position of strength at all times. This illustrates that any woman, no matter how gifted or vigilant, can still be manipulated.
I was thunderstruck when I saw a video of you nursing a malnourished infant in Africa a few years ago. That really affected me. I have even more respect for you now for this exceptional piece .
Thank you.
8
Bravo Ms. Hayek, bravo!
4
Having always admired your work as an actress I now have to admire your bravery knowing the duress you have experienced while trying to practice your craft. This article is another nail in the coffin for the "Monster" as you call him. What disgusts me even more is all his associates who shielded him and will undoubtably go unpunished for providing protection on behalf of this pervert of the first order.
10
Wish Ms Hayek would write about when Donald Trump harassed her at dinner and then some. That would also be a great story to print.
1
Can someone please enlighten me, why is this person Harvey Weinstein not in jail? Why don't, at least, the super rich among his accusers please approach law enforcement with a layer. This person is a daemon, he needs to be put away for a long time.
I think the election of Trump as the president has something to do with what has been happening. A lot of people finally began to rethink the hypocrisy surrounding themselves. If Hillary Clinton became the president the hypocrisy would have been re-affirmed and it would have been business as usual. In a way Trump calling out Clinton and Hillary and in turn him being called out, meant that the liberals had to confront their dark secrets to be able to have a moral high ground. In a way, Hillary Clinton taking the blame for her husbands misdeeds had to motivate a lot of women that enough was enough. They had to do something. Whatever it is, I am very happy with how things are turning out for rich and famous but habitual sex offenders. Their days of reckoning has finally come. Even the president of the United States is unable to garner support for them, as the election results of Alabama just showed.
6
It is reassuring to know that the strong, right-headed characters you have played in many movies are not just fictional creations but clear extensions of the person you really are. It can't be easy for any woman to come forward to relive the insane abuses of men corrupted by power, greed and the corrupt thought that they can get away with any and all forms of sexual exploitation. Thank you for taking this very public stand and demonstrating to other women and girls that the word no means no, today and always.
8
Ms. Hayek, first I would like to thank you for your brilliant performance of "Frieda" and her artwork. I remember that she was tortuous and anguished, but passionate and courageous. She had not only a vocation, but a talent. So do you.
This viewer is thinking now of your role as 'Beatriz', a Mexican holistic therapist, who shakes hand in an engaging way with 'Doug', the typical awkward lout, bumbling along with his silly joke about meeting you somewhere as a strip dancer. Your expression is perfect in looking slightly bewildered. He then tries to be serious, and starts interrogating you like a customer officer, obnoxious and crass, out-of-line. Threatening.
Having met Harvey Weinstein, stepping out of his comfort environment for a brief visit to a bank manager, I have been disappointed by this whole affair. You and other women know that all men are not predators, power-abusers, or perverse. On a note of humor, we would all be moving to 'Cranford'.
Joining some other viewers, regardless of gender, in thanking you for coming forward and denouncing these destructive men of mythological legend with feet of clay in the Labyrinth; The Minotaur has taken a fall at long last.
Thank you for your work in the Humanitarian world for good causes, and caring about our diminishing Wild Life; for your Substance and Style, 'Unique'.
3
Complicity by those in power and those who are powerless must be eradicated.
December brings reminiscence about the past year in our society. “Person of the Year” gets much press. I find “Word of the Year” informative and diagnostic of the buzz in our culture.
Dictionary.com named "Complicit" as this year’s meme given the frequency of online searches for the word’s meaning. Saturday Night Lives’ spoof of Ivanka Trump, with its “Complicit” perfume commercial, causes an online spike in internet searches for the word’s definition. Subsequently, it spiked again after Ms. Trump declared, "I don't know what it means to be complicit."
Searches for the word’s meaning spiked once more after Arizona Senator Jeff Flake declared, "I have children and grandchildren to answer to, and so, Mr. President, I will not be complicit."
No doubt, the #metoo movement provides greater impetus to empower women who have been complicit in the past. They will no longer be silenced by those in power who have abused their position by harassing others.
Let’s make this meme part of everybody's DNA in 2018.
3
I am glad that you shared your horrifying experience. I had goosebumps while I was reading. He was indeed a monster.
4
Salma, you were always a somebody. I first saw you in 1995 when you spoke to a group of UCLA students while promoting Desperado. You were fiercely intelligent and strong. It was obvious even then that you would stand up for what you believed in. I foresaw the long and successful career you would go on to have and I still recall fondly that day. You broke substantial ground for Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and women. You should be proud.
7
More than “No”, I think Weinstein hated himself (look how he trashed his own body), and tried to avenge that self-contempt on his victims. No one can abuse people as he did unless he first hates himself.
[17.1213:2045]
1
I was 19, when my sister turned me on to Frida Kahlo after she viewed an exhibition at Occidental College in the early '90s. When Frida, the movie, debuted, we watched it together and wept at the beautifully haunting portrayal of a complex, evocative artist who seemed to validate our experiences as young Latinas battling to make it in professions where we felt "in the world, but not of it." Salma Hayek's Op-Ed piece was difficult to read; it felt personal, as if she had taken these blows in our stead. I think I'll watch Frida tonight, raise a glass to Hayek and thank her privately, in my heart, for staring down a monster and living to tell the tale. We are all better for it.
7
Thank you for your courage in sharing this. I hope this will help some men understand what women have to go through on a daily basis - wondering if it's safe to go alone in an elevator with a man, feeling objectified when whistled at on the street, panicking when a boss makes inappropriate comments. To the predators, I hope they start feeling the fear of getting caught and taken down. About time.
9
Thank you, Ms Hayek, for enduring that marathon of abuse so as to bring me "Frida." I learned so much about the art of Ms Kahlo and Diego Rivera. I learned U.S. history. It is a beautiful film that I view at least once a year.
What you experienced was disgusting. But I now know what a miracle it is that the many Miramax films I treasure were actually made in spite of a sorry human being.
8
Thank you Selma for telling your story and the beautiful work you did on the film. I hope you feel some relief now. Your words will certainly help strengthen and heal the women that read it. And I believe will help good men understand what sexual harassment looks and feels like. I think this will help good men speak up too.
6
Brava Salma, thank you for finding the words and the courage to express such a painful experience. This was hard to read and harder still to imagine. We present our stub, get our popcorn, watch and are transported for a couple of hours and then - it's over. Why do women have to struggle this way, be tested this way, be abused this way...finally, the chorus of our voices have sound and are reaching all who will listen.
5
I always wondered why Ms. Hayek didn't follow up her great success.
Having told us why, my she have another—have more.
6
This piece captures the full implications of "sexual harassment," that simple phrase that covers so much, better than anything else I've read. The negation of all your talent, vision, strength, and inspiration, by a man who could see only your physical being and only your value as it would directly serve him, is exactly what this is all about. Women in every profession have experienced this forever. We may not all have been dealt with as brutally as you were by this monster, but we are all familiar with that sense of helplessness and rage at being trivialized, overlooked, and patronized regardless of what our actual professional contributions may be.
Thank you, Ms. Hayek, and all the other women who have been brave enough to go public with stories that they find painful and embarrassing to tell but that must be heard if we are to change the world.
12
“we are all familiar with that sense of helplessness and rage at being trivialized, overlooked, and patronized regardless of what our actual professional contributions may be.”
Yes!!!!
2
Salma Hayek just saved Hollywood. I urge the Academy to give her an Oscar for strength.
7
Thank you, Salma Hayek, for sharing this. I loved your movie, and I loved you in the role. It meant so much to me to see Frida's life celebrated on the big screen. I had brushed off the sex scene you refer to as gratuitous, but one of those Hollywood things that they feel is necessary to sell a story. We have not begun to think through exactly what it means for actors to oblige predatory, psychopath producers and their sick fantasies. We enjoy the movie without a though to the suffering it caused for the women involved. Weinsten destroyed yet another of my favorite movies. I will continue to recommend people watch it, but with this story accompanying that recommendation. Audiences can assume so much about artists and performers and never think of abuse, assault and coercion as the reasons behind some of their work. We need to know this. It's the only way anything will change.
5
Thank you, Salma, for sharing your story. It's remarkable how similar it feels to mine, and while it hurts to know that you and so, so many women have experienced it, I'm grateful for your courage to speak. I have felt that my story wasn't worthy of having a voice because it didn't easily fall into the definition of assault or rape. But the intimidation, death threats and sexual humiliation are real and they haunt us for years afterwards. Even when we think we've come to peace, we carry that war within us. I see you. Me too.
5
Wondering where HW is hiding out these days? Does anybody know where he is or why he is not behind bars yet? How does this guy get a pass from prosecution or being held in a jail cell? Isn't he a flight risk?
8
When will HW go to jail? Where is our justice system? Without serious jail time and serious consequence, this behavior will not stop. Losing a job is inadequate. Then, it is time for reparations to all women. How many women's lives have been ruined or have been denied the opportunity to try? As an older woman thinking about a job search, I know it is unlikely I will be judged as a man with equivalent experience.
9
I thought you end up in jail after being convicted of breaking the law.
What criminal law did he break.
I believe if he had he would have been charged.
The NYPD claimed they had a case but even they have not charged him with anything.
Yet you believe he should be in jail,
Why should he be in jail.
This is hands-down the finest article I have seen on Weinstein and this whole, appalling subject. Thank you so, so much, Ms. Hayeck. It is clear this was painful for you. May women find strength in you, and may the Weinsteins of the world retreat to their caves.
9
What a woman. What a brave woman. A true heroine. May we all have her courage or at least a little tiny bit of it.
5
Why does Salma Hayek speculate Weinstein would have raped her if it wasn't because of her friendship with Qurentin Tarantino and George Cloney.
This is the problem with so called sexual harassment.
How do we define it.
From my perspective it was wrong to mention rape when it wasn't attempted
and therefore no evidence to back up the statement she made
People hear that they make the assumptions that Mr. Weinstein did something criminal and belongs in jail.
Salma Hayek also protest too much about acting in the nude.
She has done it on more than one film.
Should I assume she always did it because of sexual harassment and if she had her way she would never do a nude scene.
I doubt it which makes me ask why she brings that up in this article.
This is a example of me too where there is very little of it at all.
1
Ms. Hayek - your work has always touched my life. I remember Frida the movie so well. It was my first year as a single parent after the split of my first marriage. Raising 2 small children, I found so many days a struggle and took the strength of other strong women. Frida Kahlo is one of them for me and your film helped in my healing. I ran many races that year and crossing each finish line and getting a medal reminded me that no matter what I had endured, no one could take my accomplishments away. The same for you. Your courage in your spine today is stronger than the weakness you felt in your knees before. Each story reveals the depth of horror, suffering and pain. Thank you for ROARing your rage today - we hear you loud and clear
4
I feel terrible for Ms. Hayek, but her point that the solution is promoting women (ie. replacing men with women) is obviously false and can easily be disproved: Kevin Spacey targeted men!
The issue isn't male vs. female. The issue people abusing power and the solution is holding those people accountable. (I would add that I am male and I was sexually harassed by a woman in power. Though nothing like Ms. Hayek experienced.)
5
Thank you, Ms. Hayek, for this chilling and honest account of the injury inflicted by those in power who have no regard for the dignity of those "beneath" them. Media personalities, restauranteurs, judges, artists, Congressmen, Senaators, and of course, our President, have all been implicated. While some have received public condemnation, we still have a POTUS who thinks he's immune. It's time that civil and criminal suits are filed against all these horrible creatures.
4
I think Frida would have been honored and proud of Salma and the people who supported her during the narcisstic manipulations and rages of this terrible man. And so many women are terrorized because they--we--are brought up to believe we are not important. Such people want to own not only our bodies, but our minds and our creativity. It takes strong people like Frida, like Salma, to fiercely cherish their dreams.
3
I shared this with my daughter who is studying film and cinematography in Chicago. With more women behind the lens I think our perception of how women are supposed to behave will definitely change....for the better
5
Absolutely beautiful, moving, thoughtful, and, yes, disturbing piece. There are so many Harvey Weinsteins out there, in so many industries. So glad Ms. Hayek had the strength, ability, resources, and, most significantly, the support of friends to fight so hard for her vision. But how many women, for one reason or another, have not been so fortunate? The thought of all that wasted talent is mind-boggling -- and heart-breaking. I sincerely hope we are finally on the threshold of change.
6
It was an honor to read this story. You have shown us the 3 P's: Passion, Power, and Potency.
It was an honor to read this story.
4
Salma Hayek wrote a profound and moving Piece about her and many Women in the Film Industry, that had to suffer, endure and fight Predation, particularly from this powerful Man and Monster ! What is striking and now obvious, that Salma is not just a "Pretty Face and striking Appearance Actress", but more so an Intellectual with Idealistic Visions of what her Profession and Industry should and could be, if Women where treated more as Equals instead of Objects ! Thank You Ms. Hayek, for your Determination, your hard Work and your Unwavering Idealism !
2
Thank you for sharing your experience! Every voice raised against him is an acceleration towards equality and justice
2
This was a powerful read. "Frida" was a formative film for me as an art historian of Mexico and I have always felt very thankful, Salma, for your having produced this work. It is horrifying to learn what you had to go through while making it--a degree of suffering and subjugation endured by Frida at the hands of her partner and the institutional art scene he represented. I was sexually assaulted while applying to PhD programs and, though I was admitted to the top school in my field, I have encountered constant road blocks and blackballing after speaking out against the professor whose student assaulted me. There are lots of people out there like me who have been impacted by your work, had their lives changed by it and have also endured forms of harassment comparable to those you had to go through to make it. Thanks for this. I'm not alone and you're not alone either. Un abrazo.
6
Hollywood takes the lead and trend-sets on so many things. Through the sharing of these horrific experiences of these many talented women, we might be able to move the needle - finally - on this behavior that we know happens everywhere.
Thank you Salma Hayek for being courageous enough to share.
4
Ms. Hayek, your story is chilling. It is articulate and heartfelt, and may be the piece historians refer to in the future to explain this galvanizing #metoo moment. You have written a timeless story that cannot be ignored or forgotten. It took courage and I, among many many others, thank you.
2
Thank you, Ms. Hayek, for telling in precise detail this painful story. Your defiance, talent and will "won" in a sense a very expensive victory which has most likely scarred you for life.
I am posting this article on Facebook, where I have considerable Latin American friends from sponsorships there over the years of youth and aging through Unbound.org and Children International. I have not seen "Frida" but will do so soon.
I am a domestic violence survivor. My abuser murdered two others a few years after my (barely) escape. His personality profile is very similar to that of Weinstein. I know intimately the "vague Stockholm Syndrome, trauma bonding and survivor guilt." The scars never go away.
It has been truly cathartic and hopeful to witness that--por fin!--after centuries of abuse in patriarchal societies, women in the U.S. film industry are demanding humane, respectful and fair treatment.
Muchas gracias, Señora, y Feliz Ano Nuevo!
6
"My body began to shake uncontrollably, my breath was short and I began to cry and cry, unable to stop, as if I were throwing up tears."
ms. hayek is describing exactly how I felt the day I decided to take a sick leave at work because I was being bullied by a group of nurses. I was a new nurse practitioner, new to the specialty and the learning curve was steep. they smelled weakness and they had no mercy. the assaults, verbal and at times bordering on physical (pushing/ slamming doors/ towering and cornering me in the hallways) grew in intensity and these four women made my life unbearable. although the department was extremely supportive of me - they didn't know how to help me. it was an extreme experience that shook me to the core and it took years for that emotional trauma to heal over. workplace bullying is an epidemic. it's important, I think, to try to create a safe environment for all, for people to have empathy for each other. some people smell weakness and they can't help themselves. I don't know what the solution is for this problem. I just wanted to say that Salma's words hit a raw nerve in me. harassment takes many forms. there are many workers out there being bullied and traumatized every day.
9
I applaud your beautifully written opinion piece. That women who are strong, independent, and gifted have their self-esteem weakened because of the manipulations of unethical men is appalling. Women will move forward and continue to speak out against injustice, discrimination and abuse. Never will we be silenced in fear of repercussions. I predict this American movement will eventually spread around the world as women gain their voices, finally. The focus in the 21st century will be on the dignity of humanity.
In regards to movies, I have noticed for years it is generally easy to pick out movies directed and written by men versus women. My choice is to see movies that have the depth that women bring to film production. Thank you, Ms. Hayek, for being a shining example of leadership for women.
3
But why do so many of us, as female artists, have to go to war to tell our stories when we have so much to offer? Thank You Salma for speaking out! You are a strong talent that our industry needs to see more of!
As a former employee at The Weinstein Company and a female director in Hollywood, articles like this make me more determined to work to fix toxic Hollywood! By not hiring more women and telling more female driven stories, production is missing out on a 51% share of the market, leaving money on the table! This is very bad business practice!
6
Beautiful piece of writing. It is heartbreaking that such a talented woman has been held back, that an entire generation of talented women have been neutralized. I hope that along with the Weinsteins of the film industry, we can also send packing the absurd notion that a woman of 50 should gracefully leave the stage. Ms. Hayek is clearly just getting started.
5
I got weepy reading this. Ms. Hayek, with respect, you are my hero.
4
As a public high school teacher of predominately Mexican Americans, I would have been thrilled to share this film with my students. However, the salacious elements that Weinstein insisted on including made this film off limits to them in the public schools. The influence of films on young people cannot be underestimated, and that generation lost out because of this demented, powerful individual.
6
Kudos, of course, for this story of her bravery and fortitude, and the behind the scenes details of a real passion project.
I would have appreciated some additional insights on the entertainment industry in Mexico, given Salma's professional success there.
In a country where women are routinely hassled and worse on the streets and in public transportation, I wonder if there are Harvey Weinsteins there, too, terrorizing women who only ask to be seen as artists.
2
Beautiful job for a dreadful subject. Class act Ms. Hayek. Every interview I've viewed from those early days to now...class act.
More voices...we need more voices, more stories...the more the better to drive the message home. Dont let the bad guys win ladies...speak up.
5
This is very moving story of how insidious sexual degradation (forget the bland term "harassment") really is. I'm glad Ms. Hayek finally had the courage to speak up and allow us to see the harsh truth of sexual abuse for the horror that it is. She's as beautiful and talented a human being on the inside as well as the outside. It's outrageous what this "monster" did to her. I know first-hand that such wounds never really heal, but I wish her all the healing and joy that she clearly deserves. With heartfelt thanks and appreciation for being a wounded healer.
3
Thank you so much, Salma, for sharing all the details of your story. It will help all of us understand how harassment is perpetrated. It validates everyone who has been harassed. As a fan of yours, I've always been impressed by your intelligence, beauty, character, heart and soul. You are amazing as a producer/actor. I also can see you as a CEO or in elected office. Best of luck to you.
2
It is difficult to go through the article without being shaken up but heartening that women are speaking up. It is a sad picture of a country which lectures other countries about women's rights. Sadly in Alabama election 63% of white women voted for Roy Moore, but 98% of black women voted for Doug Jones. Does it mean that, at least for majority of white women even in today's environment, sexual harassment is not at the top of their priorities? Are we becoming so blindly partisan that even sexual harassment is becoming a partisan issue? I hope that is not the case.
5
Your courage is beautiful, you are amazing, I cannot say how much your thoughts moved me... Bless you for this message.
3
Brava, Salma! You wrote a brilliant article, but all the way thru, which wasn't straight through because I had to stop, swallow, take ten deep breaths because I felt so lightheaded, all the way thru, I felt, in my bones, I felt, your pain. You did good, girlfriend!
3
Ms. Hayek, wow, thank you for telling your story.
3
This is an eloquent, moving article written by one of the most successful actresses in the world. To hear how frightened and reticent she was to confront her experience and her monster makes it all that more meaningful for those of us who do not have the power she eventually achieved. Sadly, this is behavior that is not confined to the arts or politics, but is pervasive throughout every environment where men have more power than women. As a female physician in the first wave of female physicians, I can attest to the taunting, humiliating, aggressive and, at times, assaultive behavior we women experienced in medical school, in residency, and in practice. It is sad that a bully like Trump had to be elected President of the United States for this to become not only a topic of conversation, but for women to finally have found the voice they've sought for so many years. This is not about sex. It is about power. Men and women have to stand together and support each other. The world will be a better place for all of us, and our children, if we do.
5
I am in tears after reading this. His behavior was beyond bad it was horrifying. Throughout your narrative I felt my whole body react physically actually pulling back from the page I was reading. I have never seen the film and probably won't now knowing what he made you do. This kind of powerful male behavior has to be over forever.
I think it's time Women marched on Washington again.
3
Bravo, Salma! I have so much respect for you. Thank you for your courage to share your story. What a horror that man is. I'm so sorry you had to suffer. I'm going to watch "Frida" this weekend. Thank you for speaking out.
3
I am not really a film buff and don't know much about Salma Hayek or any of Weinstein's other accusers. I think one of the many things that has been eye opening for me in the current situation is how little power so many famous women actresses actually have in Hollywood. I would have naively assumed that these women command respectful behavior from men simply because of their fame and the accolades they have accumulated. I should have known better. Like so many other commenters, I want to thank Salma Hayek and all of the women who have spoken out about Weinstein and other abusers, for their honesty and bravery in the face of horrible humiliation and abuse.
4
This story is horrifying. I could feel each one of her words as they crushed my spirit. However, as a woman, it does give me hope that things are starting to look like they are going to change.
2
Many years ago in the 90’s a friend who chartered his sailboat for afternoon cruises, told me Harvey approached him for a last minute charter. the boat was already reserved,.Harvey kept offerring him more and more money to break his commitment,..to his credit he didn’t. ..red flag
1
This is a poignant story of bullying and sexual harassment. Thank you Ms Hayek for sharing your story.
Here is to hoping that justice be done towards men like Weinstein, that includes POTUS.
5
This is a thoughtful and moving piece and a rare example of a woman coming forward who admits to giving in to Harvey's demands. I have hoped at some point that someone would have the courage to say "yes, I had sex with Weinstein."
Such a move would bring added humiliation but the women who were berated, cajoled, manipulated or forced into something they didn't want to do deserve to heard; they should not have to live in shameful silence. They are victims too.
You are an inspiration! It is a horrifying story, especially the part where he made you do a nude scene against your will and against your artistic principles. I am sorry you suffered this, but am so grateful you chose to speak out. More power to you!
4
Two profoundly gifted women, in strength and resilience, of those we now know-Salma Hayek and Anita Hill. One abuser will probably be in jail. The other is on the Supreme Court.
We cannot forget self-professed sexual abuser in our White House. his victim's stories will continue to be told.
5
I admire Ms. Hayek's forthrightness and sympathize with her plight. Yet her mention of Quentin Tarantino sticks in my craw. He has been a malignant, prurient advocate of senseless violence in Hollywood that has spread into society in general.
This is a case where a woman's ambition greatly exceeded her concern for other women in Weinstein's sphere. Sadly, she also completely corrupted her 'art' by committing to a nude scene she believed was completely unnecessary for the film, a Faustian bargain if there ever was one . It makes one wonder what other 'art' that comes out of Hollywood is little more than the product of a male producer's fantasies.
1
More than any other story, Ms Hayek shows how these behaviors are really abusive, and not just about sex. It is about power, and the perpetrator demeaning another to satisfy their ego. For any woman who has been in an emotionally, verbally or sexually abusive relationship, the damage is not to the body but to the soul.
I look forward to the day that men look at themselves, and other men, and decide this will not be who they are. Whether at work, or in the home, or just out in the community, towards women, or even towards each other, this has got to change. For their benefit, as well as the women they hurt.
Man as protector and provider, not as predator.
4
Each time another man is forced to resign his position because of complaints by women of sexual harassment that range from verbal to rape, an outcry immediately rises about how that particular industry—film, music, restaurant, hotel, politics, press, etc.—has a particular culture that encourages men to believe it’s okay to do such things to women. But, the thing is, that every industry contains such men, because we live in a world where it is accepted and understood that men are allowed to subjugate women, treat them as inferior objects, pay them less for the same work, control their reproductive organs, and do whatever they can to keep them down and too tired, broken to say anything. This behavior is endemic within our cultures world-wide, more extreme in some than in others, but everywhere. Fortunately, not all men think and act this way, but far too many do. The heads are only beginning to roll. We'll probably need a special section from the NYT at year's end about all these newly jobless men.
5
Thank you for sharing your story.
1
Wow. Just wow.
I'm not a Hollywood fan, I don't watch movies, and, generally speaking, I don't much care for actors and actresses.
But you, Salma, are an American hero.
BTW, it's just occurring to me in my sixth decade of life that the terms "fe-male" and "hero-ine" are strange violations of the rules of nature. DNA is 50% male and 50% female, but mitochondrial DNA -- the source of energy that enables life -- is 100% female. If language tracked nature, the Salmas of the world would be the heroes and the corresponding boys would be hero-ards or hero-ers or something like that.
BTW II, I do like the 'rix' suffixes for females though. Isn't 'dominatrix' a much better word than 'dominator'? Wouldn't most of us NYT readers like to see a phalanx of Tweetrixes drown out the chief Tweeter?
3
Salma, you are a forgiving person, which allowed you to forge ahead with no bitter feelings, in spite of a clear abuse of power by a moody and irrepressible man, someone so insecure and immature that he needed to show to himself he was in control. 'Lo pasado pisado', in Spanish jargon. Still, not forgotten.
2
Thank you for sharing your experience. I can only imagine what this saga must have been like. The way you wrote it made this very real to me.
Hopefully this story will drive for equality across all industries. Good luck to you!
3
Ms. Hayek --
I know it's beside the point, but your writing is beautiful, brilliant, clear and dignified -- as you address indignity in extremis. I hope this will someday become a chapter in an exceptional biography.
-- Charlie Manuel
4
Dear Ms Hayek,
I have always noticed you in your roles, large or small, as one notices a rare, beautiful and gifted star. I wondered why the roles were sometimes small when your gifts were so big. I appreciated "Frida", though I didn't feel the scene he demanded was of a peace with the rest of the story. It bothered me, because her love seemed already enough. I wondered why she wanted more.
Thanks for telling this story.
4
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for writing this. Because of voices like yours I am hopeful my children will grow up in a different, more equal world.
7
Frida is one of my favorite movies of all time. Thanks for all you did to make it. I never knew you were so instrumental in getting it to the screen. I'm glad you have true friends to support you. I'm so sorry for your experiences. Thank you for sharing them, and thanks for being a great artist.
4
Only a monster would belittle, humiliate and bully a class act like Ms. Hayek. For the men out there who seem to have trouble knowing where to draw the line, I would suggest asking yourself whether or not you would let someone get away with treating your daughter, wife, sister or mom the way you intend to treat your targets.
8
Wow what a story. What I don't understand is why no man, anywhere along the way, simply beat the living heck out of Harvey Weinstein. One of his victim's must have had a husband, boyfriend, brother, or father who wouldn't be intimidated by that human slug and simply knock him out. Had that happened decades ago as it should have, perhaps many of these women would have been spared from that predator.
8
I do not believe for one second, that someone can be so compartmentalized to be a loving father and a sexual predator at the same time. The father thing must have been an act.
2
Impregnating a woman to father children doesn’t require enormous talent as some men like to believe of themselves. Some men I’ve met make loving father an oxymoron. The bull on my uncles’ dairy farm was oftentimes more devoted to the calves down the barn from them than they were.
2
Frida is my favorite movie, Ms. Hayek, thank you! It does indeed reflect her heroism, in the face of incredible physical odds, and it was good to learn that it was your passion that actually brought it to life. I agree that the sex scene was pointless, and tasteless, and sure enough it was Harvey Weinstein's insistence that got it included. What a creep!
8
Very eloquently written. I actually met Harvey Weinstein once Beverly Hills, and even in that brief moment you could see his dark energy as he turned around when I told him that he knew my boss. He also knocked over a tray of hairstyling implements .
3
Thank you, Selma Hayek. Let's now take this marvelous essay to the next level: "The Elephant in the Room" = Morality.
For years, our culture has celebrated, encouraged and profited from the willful destruction of basic moral standards. No, I'm NOT talking about Victorian morality or religious doctrine or homophobia or consensual sex or anything else like that. I'm talking about the moral "common ground" that makes strong societies even stronger. Imagined if we the vast majority of Americans agreed on a few simple moral principles, such as:
-- You don't use use power as an excuse to mistreat others, especially in the workplace.
-- You never, ever have a right to harass, demean, denigrate, rape or fondle your employees or coworkers.
-- You should and must treat everyone with the same modicum of dignity that we all deserve as human beings.
-- Celebrity, power and wealth are no excuse for bad behavior.
When Selma Hayek says: "Why did we tolerate this monster and his monstrous behavior so long?" I can guess that those around her in the entertainment industry did NOT share a commitment to basic morality -- the kind of morality that gives us the courage to speak out even if there is a personal price to be paid. We need that courage back.
As MLK so aptly said: "If we don't stand for something, we will fall for anything." And for decades, Hollywood (men and women) kept falling down the deep dark hole inhabited by monsters like Harvey Weinstein.
4
I’m disheartened to read some of the comments. Ms. Hayek you have a right to speak and be heard on your own terms and your own timeline. Reconciliation will come, I believe we are in the midst of the reckoning. As a woman in my forties I can name countless times I’ve been harassed at work by men. I’ve had many men “accidentally” brush my breasts and then create a fake apology. I’ve been physically groped twice - no apology. I’ve confronted two coworkers about the way they spoke to me and their topic. All that is nothing like the public humiliation Ms. Hayek endured at the hands of Mr. Weinstein. However, what should be taken away, is that I am an anonymous working woman that has seen consistent harassment by men in both my personal and professional lives. It’s pervasive, that’s the point that’s being made. It’s pervasive and it needs to end.
5
Please, oh please release a #MeToo cut of Frida, without that scene.
7
This man was not just a serial sexual predator he was a monster. Monsters should be locked up. They should not be able to terrorize and stalk their next victim. This was a horrific story. But why didnt your parents ts, ypur family, your agent help ypu. Did confide in your mom, your dad so they could confront this monster. Im the mother of two women. When one of my daughters was in a abusive relationship, I confronted the monster. Hopefully monsters like Harvey will all be outed sent to some far away place and. never be able to hurt people again.
2
Thank you, Salma Hayek, for sharing your story. You are an exceptional actor, and Frida was indeed an important story to tell. Because like Frida, we all need to be women who decide we simply don't care what anyone thinks as we live our truth. That's real, actual strength. The kind of "power" Harvey Weinstein wielded was smoke and mirrors. There's no Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, just a sad, wrinkled old man pulling the levers and screaming into a microphone. Now that the curtain has been pulled back...it's all over for people like him. I suppose we should set up a retirement farm somewhere to house all these disgraced politicians and Hollywood elite. They can spend their days bossing each other around and...eating soup or whatever.
3
THE GREAT SALMA HAYEK HAS SPOKEN!
Oh I'll kill to see her in more dramatic roles and getting all the nominations she so deserved, what a talent!
4
Men, as well as women, have to face the choice of help for a price.
I was desperate, poor, in the gutter, and this man offered to make me a star, if only I'd shower with him, have sex with him.
Women and men have been making essentially this choice for centuries.
It should not be so but it has been.
But it is a choice.
As Evita said, "I couldn't stay down at heels my whole life. I chose life."
It IS different from having a gun held to your head.
It is not, as is the case with the gun held to the head, in the Godfather, he made you an offer you could not refuse.
1
It is never too late to add a voice to the chorus. All the women he terrorized have the right to speak when they feel comfortable enough to do so. What a truly awful man, really just awful.
7
This man is a pig. I TOTALLY “get” Salma Hayak’s story. Time, history, and context is so important as you read this article. When writing my essay, “Inappropriate” that tells ONLY 3 over the top sexual harassment experiences (in which there were many more), I am so aware of the numbing of my mind and of women’s minds to the language, touches, and threat of rape that happens when experiencing “power over” moves by men in charge that we had to work with. Because men control the power of so many institutions we navigate, in the moment of harassing behavior, one feels helpless, invisible, and silenced. I appreciated hearing Salma’s story...if you find it hard to believe or understand it, go ask your mother or your grandmother about her experiences. It’s real. It’s been forever.
3
THIS. This, this, this: "I don’t think he hated anything more than the word 'no'.”
What part of the word "NO" are men like Weinstein, Trump, and their ilk so incapable of comprehending? Spoiled, temper-tantruming, three year-old brats in adult bodies, the lot of them.
11
If this is any consolation to Ms. Hayek: I saw the film three times about a decade ago and jotted down some thoughts about it in an obscure academic journal, and though I have clear memories of several sublime shots from the movie, I have zero recollection of that sex scene. I'll be sure to skip it next time I pop the DVD into my player. (Perhaps someday there will be a director's cut where it is left out?)
8
Thank you for saying this. While I love the movie, one thing that did stand out for me was how senseless that sex scene was, both from a story-telling as well as an artistic perspective. Now knowing that scene was inserted under duress, I really hope that there's a director's cut of the film that excises that scene. What's not true to the filmmaker's original vision has no place in the film. It's Hayak's and Taymor's visions I want to see, not Weinstein's.
4
Oh. My. God. How in the world did Salma Hayek find the strength to excel while Weinstein tortured her? And when will the system move toward respect and decency?
8
So moved by your writing, this is the most excellent piece I have read in a long time. And this is what the world loses when women are silenced; the gifts, the insight, the horrible humanity of it.
10
Well lets hope he is totally ruined. He does not deserve anything else. And there are more out there who are silent who worked for him, we know it.
Imagine how many women would come forward if they were not tied to a NDA. There is only one Trump ghostwriter without one and he has been very vocal. But the women are gagged.
5
I admire Salma's tenacity through the adversity and constant attacks. To keep going after what she believed in was monumental and brave. Such a horrible man who had too much power.
2
Thank you, Salma Hayek, for sharing your story and how you rose up to handle it. I too, have experienced similar treatment, where I was told by a very insecure male superior that I was paid to “look pretty, smile a lot, and make sure that the men are taken care of”. Little did he know that he was dealing with a woman with two masters degrees and a good head on her shoulders who couldn’t bear the condescension. #Metoo.
7
The sad part is that the Hollywood cultural elites that are quick to lecture the rest of us lesser humans covered up and enabled these types of misdeeds for years and years. The grossness of his soul was tolerated. He fit right in. Such conduct bespeaks the moral emptiness of this vacuous industry called Hollywood.
2
Beautifully written. Thank you.
4
how sick. I'm so sorry that you lived through that and with it.Godspeed. You have a brave heart.
4
My heart is full of admiration for you. You fought the beast and continued to get back up. Frieda is a magnificent work portraying strength and love. You did this. You told no one. Brave beyond words to have your vision realized. Why do we not tell others? I understand the feeling of not knowing which side of the person will show up. The fear of not knowing what will come next and the joy when they are not around. Thank you for opening up your life to all women and men. Women have kept these horrible invasions to themselves for too long. Healing becomes pushing the memories away , but we do not heal until we speak up. Finally the darkness is out and light may shine again. We hide it from ourselves, family, friends, doctors, but mostly ourselves. It is easier now to speak about whatever has happened to each of us because of the amazing women who are speaking out against this violence and the demented power men use to demean and rape us. It is easier to say nothing. But to stand up and speak out gives the beasts a mirror for all to see both sides. Thank you, thank you thank you. You said no many more times and did the work for your passion and beyond. You are so special. You have helped me.
5
Brava indeed! Because of their own pathetic inadequacies that are too numerous to list, these monsters inflict incredible life-long pain on others. To you, to others who have spoken out, and to those who will speak out, I can only say I salute your courage and dignity. And my fear is that for every one of you who has spoken out, there are probably tenfold times tenfold who have not...every day people (girls and boys, women and men) who live with this excruciating pain. I pray for all of you and, as a global community, we must continue to uncover these monsters for what they are and support those who live through these nightmares. Garcias, Selma
3
Perhaps Salma and Harvey should read Thomas Mann....
Brava. Moving.
3
Salma — This is one of the best editorials I’ve read on the subject, because it touches on the important concept of wondering if you really need to add your voice to the chorus, or if enough people are singing that you don’t need to. It is too easy for all of us to not stand up for something we believe is wrong, because we know others already are. It is our obligation to always hold those who do wrong to be held accountable, regardless of how many people have already pointed the finger at them. Our voice just might be the one that gets heard, that touches someone, the way yours did me.
I believe I read a while back that you have Arab blood. As a Syrian-American, I always have my antenna up for other Arabs who are making a mark, and, in this case, I've found one who not only has mad a mark, but one who shows intelligence and fearlessness.
2
What a shocking ordeal. He was a monster. Thank you for speaking out. Maybe someday we'll learn the full truth about the real Donald Trump.
2
Frida is one of my all-time favorite movies. Thank you for making it in spite of this horrible experience. Your story in itself could be a movie that of a heroic woman making great art against all odds.
2
Bravo Salma. Thank you for your courage and resiliency. Your story made me cry for you and for myself, recalling being similarly treated by men and frustrated by not being taken seriously. I have been groped and kissed against my will. Sometimes the mistreatment is not sexual, but hurtful nonetheless as when I asked a poli sci professor to write a recommendation for me for graduate school as I left his class and his response was to say loudly enough for all to hear, "Why do you want to go to graduate school? You will only get married."
I now want to watch "Frida" again and see it through new eyes. I loved it when it came out. It is even more of an accomplishment now that we know the backstory. Thank goodness you were steely enough to resist this monster.
3
A true horror story: A monster indeed. Sending you peace and strength to you, Salma.
4
I just loved your film Beatriz at Dinner and thought you were brilliant, and Frida was a masterpiece. Now that we have learned some of the backstory behind this film I want to see the film again to see the pain that monster brought to your performance. It was worth every bit of anguish you went through to tell us that story - Frida is art. I am so sorry you had to deal with that pig and hope you never go through such madness again. God will take care of Harvey Weinstein, karma is working its magic throughout the patriarchy as I type this.
2
Salma,
Your nine year old, Valentina, and my seven year old, Evelyn, live in a better world for your courage, truth and your phenomenal grit! To all women, please tell your stories. We will listen!
"You deserve the best, the very best, because you are one of the few people in this lousy world who are honest to themselves, and that is the only thing that really counts."
Frida Kahlo
4
HW, is an even bigger monster than previously imagined. He is a vicious, sick individual and he should spend the rest of his life behind bars. It pains me to think of how many stars he extinguished with his vile behavior. And all of his victims are still suffering today. Thank you TH for sharing your story, yes you are brave. But the vitriol that exists in the movie industry is enough to make me want to stick with curling up with a terrific book anytime.
3
Thank you for this powerful piece of writing, Ms. Hayek. It shows so clearly how the sexual aspect of harassment is just the tip of a iceberg of domination.
3
This is one of the best written descriptions of how an evil man preys on talented women. I was gripped and recognized in it so many other power plays taken against me in academia and professional life when the men outnumbered the women in engineering.
While I never enjoyed watching sex scenes in movies - I will now refuse to watch for I realize that for most actresses they can be done another way or were there to humiliate them for the pleasure of some power hungry man. I will not be able to watch without having a violent, sickning reaction - as I can't be party to the abuse of a talented woman. It sickens me that no man stood up against what he saw when you were physically ill.
It reminds me of standing in a room of engineers getting ready for a day long presentation to the Department of Defense trying to win a $250 million contract. I was challenged on a fact, had it right and when another in the room corroborated my fact - the brutish man in control of the project proceeded to dress me and another woman down in front of the group for 30 minutes screaming at the top of his lungs at us with epitaphs and "go home to your knitting" and worse. The room full of at least 30 men slinked out one by one quietly until it was just us and him and his rage. 30 men who had no courage to stop him abusing us. This isn't a female problem - it is a problem that men are complicit and watch the abuse.
Stop watching the abuse. Stop ignoring the abuse. Stop joking about the abuse.
8
Kudos Selma Hayek! Can you imagine if this is how you feel and you thought you were a nobody, how women who live through domestic violence feel? We keep discussing celebrities and sexual harassment but what about the women who endure domestic violence? Do our stories matter? See my recent article: https://medium.com/@janicelintz/do-i-matter-c8e992346604
For women like me, there is no exit strategy. My ex-husband has filed motion after motion for ten years. FedEx just delivered another one. On the rare occasion when he loses, he submits an appeal. Why settle for one court when you can have two involved? No matter what I do, it is wrong. My breathing irritates him.
The matrimonial judges are our "Harvey Weinstein." They abuse us because we are non-monied spouses with zero recourse. They repeatedly make us dance to their tune, and we are never dancing fast enough or correctly. They demand our taxes and Net Worth Statements over and over again as if they are watching us "shower." But the idea that they can demand things from us and we either perform, lose our assets or end up in jail must be titillating to them.
There is no oversight and appeals take big bucks. So we are "whipped" with motions over and over again. Will this ever end?
We need the media to investigate these judges and the attorneys who torture women like me. Because while our names may not be in the headlines, and no one has ever heard of us, we do matter and our voices need to be heard.
3
I am quite simply overwhelmed by the courage and magnificence of this piece of writing. Salma Hayek has captured the totality of the sexual harassment and misogyny dynamics in a compelling and emotionally powerful way. If James Baldwin has told us that to be a black man in America is to be in a constant state of rage, then Ms. Hayek has told us that to be a woman is to be in a constant state of fear. I am a man and I cried deeply and profusely reading this. To all men out there we must change now....no more excuses ever.
4
Thank you so much for sharing your story.
5
It just brings me to tears.
3
There is nothing more depressing than a powerful sadist. It just chews at your heart. This "monster" should be stripped of all his power, all of it, to stop him from hurting other innocent people ever again. The perfect solution, however, is to safely lock him away in jail until he expires.
5
Ms. Hayak,
You are a tremendously gifted writer. This is by far one of the best articles I have read this year. Thank you for being true to yourself and to the women who have forged a new path for our daughters. You are a great actor but you are an equally impressive author and I look forward to more of your work!
6
this is the most chilling stmt: No to opening the door to him at all hours of the night, hotel after hotel, location after location, where he would show up unexpectedly, including one location where I was doing a movie he wasn’t even involved with.
5
WOW. what a brilliantly courageous heartbreaking article....many thanks to Ms. Hayek for baring her soul and sharing her horrific experiences with HW. And her strength to stay as true to her principles as she could while under such pressure is admirable.
It has been amazing to see the dominoes tumbling all over in so many industries - from Congress to restaurants, arts institutions, film, news - waiting for the shoes to drop in the corporate world (so far media only).
As with the victory in Alabama, 'the times they are a changing'... hallelujah!
6
Incredible. Thank you so much, Salma Hayek, for your grit and persistence and courage. I believe things may be changing, but only if we all keep working to make sure that's the case. You are an inspiration in all ways.
4
Extremely well-written and moving piece! I can't think of a thing to add to it, and that is the highest compliment I can give!
2
As painful as this was to read, this article brought me to tears for many reasons, not the least of which is that this story is adding a deeper texture to the problem we face as a species, an insidious and painful pattern of behavior that says it's ok to castigate and reduce women to pawns for prey. Thank you, Salma, for finally sharing your story, for giving us a sense of the depth and resonance of what women as artists have had to (and still do) endure. Frida would be very proud.
7
Dear Salma,
Thank you for your candid account of your intense struggle with Harvey Weinstein hand your very brave willingness to soldier onward in achieving your goals while retaining your self-respect.
I know it was not easy for you to share this history with the world. As someone who admires your work and who loves the Frieda move, I appreciate your honesty.
There is no doubt now that your voice in film and about this disgusting chapter of your life will make a huge difference in inspiring other women (and men) who are being objectified, harassed and physically threatened to speak out and recognize their own self-worth.
I look forward to your next artistic contributions in film.
Rock on, woman!
2
Thanks so much for your courage in telling this appalling story.
4
Finally. I now understand why so many Hollywood movies I grew up watching had incongruous sex scenes and unnecessary moments of nudity from only the female actors. It's not just studios pushing for more sex to sell the movie. It really is creepy perverts behind the scenes who get their kicks from forcing women actors to submit to sexual acts for their own gratification. It always annoyed me when I saw gratuitous sex in movies. Knowing the awful reality behind it for an actress, even one as talented and strong as Salma Hayek, turns my stomach.
I remember seeing 'Frida' and loving it but also feeling like there was something wrong with the movie as though it had been edited poorly or had two conflicting narratives in it. Now I see what Salma Hayek had to go through to realize her artistic vision, it all becomes clear.
13
A very well thought out and delivered message. So sorry for your ordeal. I do hope that the future for you and the countless women throughout the world that endure sexual harassment, assault or innuendo will begin to brighten due to you and others shining a light on these people who perpetrated these crimes.
That said.....I really don't care for your movies or acting but I do care that you are allowed to do it without fear of harassment.
3
Thanks so much for sharing - The struggle against evil takes so much courage - You are an inspiration to women you will never meet but know the impact your story will have on all who have heard your story. As a man please know that it has impacted me as much as any testimonial on the issue of sexual assault I have read.
3
A beautifully written and expressed piece which every teenaged boy and girl should read, before they have any power and before they destroy any lives and wealth of contributions for the rest of us "Nobodies."
2
Very happy another bullied, abused, famous and respected actress has come forward. Ms. Hayek is lucky to have had the support of talented and well know friends with deep Hollywood connections. What about the untold number of unknown assistants, who often do the same job as male executives but never get the title; female crew, there are still so few of them; and actresses whose stories will never be told? There are so many predators in the business and we are just getting the stories about a few. Then there are the ones who aren't even true predators, in the Al Franken mode, who made the workplace deeply uncomfortable to toxic for women, because if you did not go along with it or laugh it off you were out. Hollywood's view of women are clear when you look at the statistics at the end of the article. All this is why I got out of the industry.
4
Thank you, Ms. Hayek! I absolutely loved that film and the spirit you embodied in Frida. From the female fatale goddess you embodied in 'From Dusk til Dawn' to the courageous sensibility of a true artist in Frida, you personify the scale and strength of a great actress. Knowing the difficulties you had to endure to start and finish 'Frida' because of the rage and sexual greed of a sociopath, as a man, I feel I am sorry, as a film nut, I feel great admiration.
2
Ouch.
Thank you so much for telling your story.
8
Thank you, Ms. Hayek. I think this contribution to the growing 'literature of harassment' is so valuable because by explaining what happened, without sparing the details, we can better understand how predators operate. What is so sickening, beyond the actions themselves, is how many people were complicit, how many people knew what was happening--Weinstein didn't hide his behavior--and how this kind of behavior was accepted as 'normal.' We live in a society where it's normal for men to abuse their power. This has nothing to do with sex. And as long as we allow Trump to remain in the White House, we're all complicit.
4
In addition to your acting talent, you are an exceptional writer, I know for fact your audience love you. Accomplishing all you have accomplished, despite horrible obstacles is a proof of your mettle.
1
The Pope loves you and you are a great role model for your daughter, and many women. It's relatively easy to get caught up and manipulated by Hollywood. You not only withstood the barrage, but grew in stature as a result of your involvement with charities and world peace. Sometimes it takes courage to mature without sacrificing your values. I admire you for writing this piece.
2
I wonder if this story exposes another sordid layer of the history of harassment that has been going on for decades - pressure on actresses to do nude scenes. Is there any moral difference between a producer hitting on an actress, and a producer telling an actress she has to do a ffn shower scene that has no bearing on the plot, but it gives the movie an R rating and appeals to the salacious interests of the producers and their target audience? "We're just giving the audience what theyre asking for" is the morally bankrupt answer they give. I hope you now have the power and courage to say "No!"
9
Success should not come with so high a price.
5
This is the best piece on the subject of sexual harassment, abuse, and intimidation I've ever read. It is a raw, realistic view of what it is like to be in the orbit of powerful men willing to abuse it for their own gratification. More importantly, it is adds a to the healing of those of us who have lived through variations on the same sick theme.
9
"For in every woman there is a girl."
Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. For a dizzy sickening moment the little girl in me remembers all over again what happened to her as if it just did. As a grown woman I fended off all kinds of minor and major assaults and claimed victory over all of them. But my little girl obviously hasn't forgotten and she has not healed.
Such is the legacy left by men who harm so easily and sleep so soundly in the face of their brutality they simply see as their birthright.
No more!
Thank you, Ms. Hayek for sharing your story. It takes courage to write so honestly, but it's honesty that resonates and and it's honesty that will prevail.
6
Thank you Ms. Alma Hayek! You not only did NOTHING wrong, you did so very much right! Stay strong despite the reality that "it" never goes away.....
3
Thank you for this brave and thought provoking article. Ms Hayek touches on something that is not often remarked upon in the current spate of think pieces about the me too movement. That this is about women's ability to work. Not about women being puritanical or clutching their pearls about sex scandals. About work. Our ability to support ourselves, move our projects forward.
6
I appreciate the words of courage.
It is an injustice to live upon somebody's whim.
One of the last phrases does hurt.
"Men sexually harassed because they could."
Now, I should realize that if I have not done wrong is because I couldn't.
All along, I thought it was because I was being decent.
Really? Most of us never even considered it.
1
What strikes me most is the degree to which women are asked to bare their souls to be heard - artistically and otherwise. Vomiting is the only human response to hearing these words - and then taking action to hit these men in the only place that they truly value: their 'legacy'. That she needed to recount any of this to any person other than a trusted friend or partner in a safe and comforting house, makes me feel like we are violating her again. What do we value in a society that has long ignored this behavior from men - and have even worshiped their status? What does it say about us? The most important point is to acknowledge that her words are deeply PERSONAL. So, let me begin again and say that I am truly sorry, Selma Hayek, that this happened to you. It took Amazonian strength to share it with people you will never meet. Frida was a masterpiece. You are a brilliant artist. Thank you.
6
Again, I ask -- where was the Screen Actors' Guild while all these actors were suffering? I'm sure the answer is that SAG was also part of the Weinstein ecosystem and abdicated its role as the union meant to protect actors. Women in Hollywood need a new union of their own that won't hesitate to protect them from these outrages and the unequal pay and treatment and other gender-based discrimination they have long suffered. I hope they make it happen.
Thank you, Ms. Hayek, for sharing your awful story. You are brilliant, beautiful, and talented, and I will seek out more of your work now that I know this story.
7
Salma, my heart breaks for you, and rejoices that you're putting your experience into words! I'm such a fan of yours, and your stock only goes up with your brave piece on the harassment girls and women have had to live with.
1
Thank you, Ms. Hayek, for this honest, clear, nuanced, beautifully written testimony. Your depth of self-awareness and your commitment to truth, love, and good will -- even towards a highly abusive man -- is a moral achievement. You are beautiful inside and out.
2
Dear Ms. Hayek: Bravo. Bravo for Frieda and for this Op Ed. The public has long known of your talent, but now we know how courageous you are. Your voice will give this courage to those women who are there now, and yet to come..you have helped changed the culture of abuse by coming forward with your words of wisdom.
2
This piece blows me away. I believe you, Ms. Hayek, and I'm glad you added your voice to the discussion. You have conveyed, beautifully and movingly, the darkness of men like Harvey Weinstein and how utterly unjust, bewildering, frightening and infuriating it is. There are some on social media and in my everyday life who have expressed weariness with this topic. Your piece makes the point that we cannot be done, not even close, with bringing this type of behavior to light. The telling, the naming of it, is important to reaching some sort of healing and correction.
2
It’s a brilliant film, one of my favorite films ever. I bought the film score on Amazon as soon as the credits rolled, after my first viewing. The film is vividly evocative of a time and place and people I had never met, and yet felt that now I had. It’s truly outrageous to hear what so many talented people had to suffer through to make it. I really hope Harvey Weinstein pays for this kind of behavior, legally and financially. An actual cinephile should be the first in line to appreciate this kind of talent and dedication. It’s hard to view a miserable worm as a cinephile.
1
What a brave and powerful article. Beautifully written. I think Salma asks the most important question: Why do women have to endure and move through all these obstacles in order to succeed? Her tenacity to go through it is admirable because it was an excellent movie. Imagine how many women may have quit their dreams and how many masterpieces have we missed due to the this absurd abuse of power.
6
The treachery and selfishness of Weinstein would be overpowering to most of us. His need for control and manipulation made working for him a perverse experience for Ms. Hayek, yet she persevered. This incredible story and her writing seem to contain pointers toward a major motion picture that she should act in, produce, and direct. She has met the monster, she has felt the pain of its unbridled fury, and she was able to conquer it with her bravery of moving on in her own successful career. Her account here is painfully truthful while her conquering of her demons is frightfully vivid and gut wrenching to read and learn. Only a stream of tears can heal the broken heartedness of one's dreams and hopefully Ms. Hayek has had that personally renewing experience in this true to life story.
2
If Harvey's behavior had been made public much earlier, Ms Hayek would never have considered working with him, and then felt that there was no way out. Covering up misdeeds allowed predators like Harvey to go after more innocent victims. This is just as true true for any misbehavior, which is why none of us can let our guard down, and always expose the truth, especially during these times when it seems anything is acceptable, starting from the executive office.
3
To me, this is the definition of feminism. A strong, compassionate woman making herself vulnerable in order to help others within her community. This here would make Katharine Hepburn proud.
3
Dear Ms. Hayek,
Thank you for such a well written piece, although one you probable didn’t want to have to write. I’m not an actress, writer or producer but I am a professional woman who has experienced, in the work place, the fear you talk about. I too know men who believe it is their privilege to get from women, what they want. In a position I had at the United Nations, of all places, one such Director, threatened and harassed me a daily basis. Each time I was summoned to his office, dread and fear came over me, and I would literally have a panic attack. This Director once told me there had been other women in my position, but he got rid of them, no questions asked. I was in fear of him and of losing of livelihood.
Finally, after 6 years of this constant harassment, I had the courage to leave. I found another position. What I lost, I regained in myself and my self respect.
I have never divulged this story either as I wanted to put it behind me but these work place experiences, may dull over time, but they truly leave their marks on our lives.
5
Thank you for your Bravery. Thank you for this terrifying account.
Already we hear awful whispers about "rehabilitation" of men's reputations.
And Hear, Hear! For decades I have been wondering why movies are made to appeal to men, and ignore a whole market for women (except perhaps rom-coms?) I cannot wait to see many more women's films.
3
I remember that there is a brief scene in "Frida" in which her character's full frontal nudity was shown, following the removal of her full body cast from a serious bus accident. I recall a lot of guys drooled about that scene. I myself admired her appearance, but was puzzled by the need of the gratuitous nudity because it did not have anything to do with the story.
Now I know.
6
This is the world that many women endure. Every woman and every girl has endured some measure of inequality, from minor annoyance to monstrous violation. It is time for change. BIG change.
5
Just when I thought I couldn't be more disgusted. Thank you, Salma Hayek, for telling this. It explains a couple of things--like the strange Tina Modotti scene (which just doesn't quite fit), and why you did not instantly go on to the next triumph. I hate it was wrecked for you, but you did indeed make a great film.
2
This is such a powerful statement. I am amazed by your ability to share this with us, even now, so many years after it happened.
I can only express my sympathies for the betrayals and abandonment that you suffered under this horrible, but yet still admired, would-be mentor. In my own way I was crushed by people I had turned to for guidance, and I know how tragic it can be when they turn on you for their own selfish needs. Kudos to you for coming through it and being able to continue to be a strong creative voice.
One hopes that by sharing this story that you have set one more force in motion to bring about the change that is needed in the industry, or at the least, that you have reached even just one other woman and given her the courage to move onward despite the burdens.
2
This broke my heart. I hope it proves that working for love can make anything bearable, though it shouldn't have to. I think much of the turmoil came through in your performance, and certainly your courage did. You are as eloquent as you are talented. The secrets we keep for our abusers continue the job long after they're gone. I don't know how far this 'femtifa' will go but thank you for finding the courage to share your story. It makes me feel safer telling mine.
3
I am grateful for your honesty and courage. Thank you for telling your story so eloquently. I am now 66yrs. old and my metoos could fill a novel. This happens to so many girls/women in all professions. I have always loved and admired Frida and her work. When your movie came out, it was a highlight in my life.
I am glad your monster did not succeed in killing it or you.
Brava!
3
Wow. What an awesome story. You go girl!
3
Harvey Weinstein needs to go to jail for a very long time.
Bravo to Salma Hayek for giving such sequential detail about what should have been an amazing and positively cathartic experience of creating such a good movie from beginning to end.
I always liked and admired her work and the person that came through in her interviews, but this ordeal that she transcended was positively heroic!
5
Be proud, Salma Hayek, of your courage then and now.
6
Ms Hayek: The anguish on your beautiful face is heartbreaking, and I'm so sad that you endured brutal treatment, in particular in the making of Frida, an outstanding movie. I thank you for your grit and courage to take that beautiful project to fruition. Now, go onward in a better light.
2
Thank you for speaking out and telling the horror story behind a beautiful movie. May your career bloom and your conscience be soothed by your bravery. God bless you.
2
I really cannot imagine this; it is one of those life-stranger-than-fiction happenings.
I lead a very ordinary life compared to Ms. Hayek; I don't think this kind of thing happens in my world ... but when I think about the "why" of that, it is for two basic reasons: peer review panels control the money (no single individual can be make or break, and there are multiple grant sources, too), and grant administration is entirely separate, and thoroughly overseen.
These monsters come from monopolies, or at least the perception of monopoly, that there is "no other game in town."
I don't imagine I will ever meet Ms. Hayek, or any of the people who move in her orbit and do what she has done. But if I could I would ask "who gave Weinstein his monopoly? Why weren't there alternatives?"
5
Lotta respect for Ms. Hayek. That could not have been an easy story to tell.
3
Dear Selma,
What a brave and powerful piece you have written. Thank you so much for your depth and honesty. I have two hopes-- one, is that this writing frees you from some offyour pain and two, that it helps other women share theirs.
2
Bravo to Salma Hayek for having the courage and wherewithal to go through what she did without giving in to Weinstein. By saying "No, no, no, etc. she put it all on the line.
I should mention I am a man, so I don't believe I can know as much as a woman can about the fear of all the things she has been through. That noted, I have the utmost respect for her and what she did and didn't! do in her situations. I can only imagine what she overcame.
I have been in several life threatening situations, and I know this: Whe she put it all on the line, it payed off for her in ways which I can only describe with the well known expression, "what doesn't kill you will make you stronger". It is true for me and absolutely true for her.
One of the benefits she earned was being cast in a smallish film, which happens to be a favorite of mine: "Ask The Dust" (2006), starring Salma Hayek and Colin Farrell. It is one of those films I can watch over and over; wishing it wouldn't end and wishing it ended differently; but this is exactly why it is so good. The crew, especially Robert Townes's screenplay and direction along with Caleb Deschanel's cinematography make it unforgettable to me.
My biggest wish for the New Year (2018) is Trump being caught and convicted for any of a number of crimes you just know he has committed, and next, seeing the same for Harvey Weinstein.
2
Selma, Frida is one of the most important movies I've ever seen. I had no idea who was Frida Khalo before that film. And her character helped me to embrace myself as a moved from transgender to genderfluid in my adolescence. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for this story. IT means even more knowing that it was hard fought. It is more precious to me now.
2
Thank you for writing this Selma. I think many of us have experienced some degree of what you expressed and you wrote it beautifully.
7
Ms. Hayek — your courageous story adds important detail to the evolving tapestry of Hollywood sexual harassment and abuse. When I was a student filmmaker during the SAG strike during the summer of 1980, I was lucky to get the opportunity to direct a young woman, then 18, who would go on to become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable, most employed, and most beautiful actresses. As writer/director I had to fend off half the crew (and some of the teen actors) from inappropriate sexual comments and suggestive behavior and to demand that they treat this actress with respect. Although the scene had one brief moment of explicit nudity, and this actress had willingly agreed to that moment, I made the decision, on the set, to cut that shot because I came to feel it was gratuitous. What surprised me was how many people (all male) derided me for that decision. I was shocked and disturbed when people later suggested that somehow, because I had cast this professional actress in a student film, I was entitled to have a “relationship” with her. But nothing could have caused me to step outside my role as a “professional” — even as a young filmmaker I knew this would be an absolute violation of trust.
While I know the trail to Hollywood success is littered with terrible stories such as yours, I pray that the majority of young filmmakers who have or will work with ANY actress (or actor) would agree that as filmmakers we have a responsibility to act morally, ethically, and professionally.
15
Thank you also for naming your angels. We need more of them, too, and they need acknowledgement because they inspire.
18
Brava Ms. Hayek - Thank you for being a strong woman and coming out. It helps other woman by the example of your strength and courage. Please come back and make another masterpiece; we need on the cultural front line. All the Best, Michel Pariseau
5
Thank-you for having the courage to share your story with such honesty, passion and compassion. I hope that writing this brings you some peace. (It is also well written.) I believe that this generous act of sharing will inspire others. I hope so.
7
I love Frida for all the things she embodied - tenacity of mind and spirit. So to see the film was an awesome experience, tantamount to seeing her art in life, to see her home, her Mexico. And Salma, I am sorry that you had to endure. As a Mexican, I have been happily following your sass and candor, but now I get to see you be brave. Like Frida, we all make choices in life and I am saddened to read what happened but feel empowered by your rhetoric and storytelling. You are a modern day Frida. Thank you for inspiring women, and the girls who grow up to be them - may we all be bold, colorful and life our best lives.
5
That had to have been so difficult and painful to write. Thank you for having the strength to do so. Among other important things you said, "in every woman there is a girl," is one of the most moving and important. It's an answer to all of those who challenge these stories and ask why it's taken so long to tell them.
6
I am struck by a few things in Ms. Hayek's essay. 1) her tenacity in getting her film made and released to critical acclaim against impossible demands; 2) the honesty which with she speaks of Weinsteins deplorable actions 3) and how forthright she is about the shame that initially kept her from sharing her story and her courageous decision to do so.
This whole episode has me questioning my own beliefs and values I've inadvertently absorbed as a mid-30's reasonably attractive, smart professional woman. Pre Harvey scandal, I don't think I would have spoken out against a harasser. My superiors (men and women) are "enlightened", yet I don't know if they would choose people over profit. However, thanks to the multitudes (!) of women who have bravely shared their experiences and the #metoo movement, I have the courage now to act differently. Thank you Ms. Hayek, thank you Judd, McGowan, Paltrow, and others.
8
Hate always starts in the mind of the hater, it has nothing to do with the word "no." It has to do with a psychological "self hate" that seems to be justified and released by doing something hateful to others. In its essence it has nothing to do with sex in particular, but more with any hateful act in general. This does not mean in anyway it should be tolerated, but rather it should not be seen with vengeance, for vengeance is in its own way, a disguised form of hate.
3
Brava Salma! So brave, so beautifully written. Hopefully change is coming in the entertainment industry and in America in general. Courageous voices like yours will make it happen. You are a beautiful and powerful talent and never ever let anyone marginalize you like that again. Women of America please run for office, speak up, speak out, and fight back! Men, it's our jobs to stand by them and listen. The time has come.
5
True to power, Ms. Hayek in this article you have clearly shown that. Thank you.
3
Thank you Salma for telling your story. Very powerful and an important chapter in the appalling Harvey Weinstein story. You were very brave then, and are again today. I'm betting on you.
thank you
Laura
6
The events described in this piece are tragic, as are the narratives of all of the countless women that have been victimized by this societal plague. What saddens me the most is that they sacrificed their humanity rather than fighting the injustice openly. The civil rights marchers of the 50’s and 60’s faced dogs, fire hoses, angry mobs, a compromised legal system and death to end injustice. The sexist injustice that is being revealed today is no less. The feminist movement not withstanding, I believe that these women made the mistake of trying to negotiate for their humanity rather than fighting for it. I think that they now understand their humanity is priceless and that negotiations and rationalizations are not effective weapons against predators with no sense of remorse and a society that is complicit in its silence.
5
Bravo Selma! I loved, loved, loved you in Frida!
4
Thank you, Salma. I'm still not ready to speak or write as I know I can, as I used to be able to, but you gave me a little more confidence.
5
Wow. After reading this article, I will never view movies quite the same. Thank you, Salma Hayek.
6
Salma, I'm glad you told your story and that you've become such an icon in Holywood and in a global scale as well in spite of having to deal with that awful situation. As a Mexican though, I wonder how many similar (or potentially worse) stories we have in the national media? I hope your story helps shed light this side of the border as well.
4
Artfully conveyed and serving a detailed and deep understanding of how power corrupts and women have a much higher bar to simple recognition of their merits in professional life.
3
Thank you for your strength, perseverance & willingness to speak your truth even at the cost of reliving it. I know what it costs to re-examine incidents of this nature but do not have the power to do so in such a public forum. Every time a highly visible woman tells her story - especially, when like yours, it's told so candidly & with such nuance - you win a little bit of ground for the rest of us. Please know we are with AND appreciate your willingness to speak out.
THANK YOU
3
I am in awe of what Salma Hayek was able to accomplish in spite of horrific emotional abuse and sabotage.
How many powerful men knew not just about the sexual harassment, but about the discrimination and emotional abuse against women, yet refused to speak out? It sounds like Harvey Weinstein had no obstacles whatsoever in his path.
Going forward, we need to rethink the fawning carte blanche given to people in power, whether they are creative geniuses or not. Football coaches, politicians, academics at the top of their field, priests - it's beginning to look like a bad idea for any one person to be "too big to fail". What would we have to do in order to prevent this from happening? It would be of benefit to the powerful people as well to have some check put on their temptation/ability to abuse.
It's not just the perpetrator who needs to change, it's the culture that lifts them up, that worships success at all costs without any regard for the less "important" people that might be trampled in the process.
5
Amazing account. Inspiring bravery. I doubt none of it.
4
It is really depressing to think that to Ms. Hayek and many others is the belief that it will take the addition of scores of female producers, directors and other professionals to correct a truly horrifying and disgusting situation. As a man, I hope that she and they are wrong, that there are highly placed and powerful men who are not monsters. I have four sons who are good and decent human beings. It must be wrong to think that we cannot expect a standard of true manhood and decency to prevail among boys and men. I hope that good people -- men and women -- will simply stand up for what is right. If not, we are really lost deep in the woods if one has to be a woman to be a good boss.
This was really a solid and heart-rending piece by Ms Hayek. God bless her.
4
To Selma,
Thank you for this. It shows the extent of Harvey Weinstein's violence towards you and it is intense and honest.
You have a chance to have women outside of film and theater, women everywhere, appreciate you and identify with you. I talk in psychotherapy, about something I call the bully and the brain freeze. I've seen the victim role played mostly, but not only, by women. Women who have been traumatized, shamed, and provoked to doubt themselves early on, receive the wrong end of bullying (there is no right end) and doubt themselves, doubting also their own point of view.
I feel that in looking at this kind of abuse, it is important to find a way to respect the dignity or all, even those who might seem pathetic under the brighter light of day. Thank you for this; thank you for sharing the degree of your own self-doubt.
3
This completely changes the way I think of this film, which I have always viewed as incredible. What a story of triumph for SH, but at such cost and trauma - thank you for sharing this. It is sick that individuals like HW have been victimizing women for so long and expecting to get away with it. More people should come forward with the truth so more people can be held accountable for their actions.
3
"It was not because I would be naked with another woman. It was because I would be naked with her for Harvey Weinstein. But I could not tell them then."
Because getting naked with another woman in front of a roomful of people filming the scene for the purpose of increasing the sex appeal of a movie is perfectly fine and natural, but doing it at Harvey Weinstein's command is monstrous.
Part of the problem with Harvey Weinstein in the first place is the industry that he was involved in and its expectations and values.
3
Frida was a wonderful movie, one of my all time favorites. And you are an excellent actress. I'm truly sorry that you, or anyone, had to go through what you did with Mr. Weinstein. Thank you for sharing your story.
2
Frida Kahlo was a woman of talents, strength, physical disabilities, and a huge sex appeal. It has been documented that she had sex with multiple men and women, including some very famous characters. Refusing to show this in a movie was pathetic... An actress, however beautiful, rich and talented, is a soft clay in hands of talented film director. Having survived these experiences, you became more capable of playing Frida. After all, this movie made you, Salma!
What? Did you actually read the piece, Anais? You seem to badly misunderstand the situation - and the point.
4
A lot of us did what we had to do. I am cautiously optimist that your story along with others will help make that unthinkable for our daughters. Thank you for sharing your story.
4
This heart-wrenching column can't have been easy to write, and I applaud Ms. Hayek not only for sharing her story but for each "No" she lobbed at Harvey Weinstein. She did win the war and has been wearing the battle scars ever since. I'm glad she and all the others are now brave enough to join in battle again to change the industry so others will not have to face monsters just to work in their chosen field.
3
Such a beautifully written article. Thank you for helping lots of people Ms. Hayek.
4
Thank you for writing this. It is clear from your writing that you have just an amazing amount of strength and talent to pursue your goals in the face of such hostility. I'm also so inspired to hear about the other women (and men) in Hollywood who were there to stand and fight with you.
Don't feel bad for being hesitant to share this story with everyone on the internet. The people who would criticize you for putting up with this at the time or not coming out sooner are the ones who have no concept the kind of personal, professional and emotional strength it takes to share something like this or take on a powerful man with so much control over your career. Thank you for finding that strength.
4
Beautiful writing Ms. Hayek. Poignant and painful. Thank you for sharing.
4
Keep driving it home that the workplace is not the bedroom and power does not include predation. There will never be a complete remedy, but more offenders will think and think again before turning on the aggression and women will be more empowered to act quickly because the warning will suffice.
3
Thank you for telling your story. It is not another scream into the void, but another nail in the coffin of the complacency that we have let fester for so long.
8
I think this is an incredibly important essay. We have all heard about Weinstein's sexually harassing women, many of them now famous artists, others now working in other careers because they were so traumatized by his behavior. What Ms. Hayek has done, is make what he did vivid and real. She has given the constant use of the abstract word "harassment" meaning and power. Because of this, her use of the word "monster" seems utterly appropriate. And more important, it has helped us appreciate how the other women who have come forward were affected and feel now. I really appreciate her clarity and courage. Peter Kuriloff
7
I have always loved the movie Frida. It such a beautiful and important movie. As someone who loves Frida Kahlo, I was of course nervous that a movie about her life wouldn't do it justice. But it is a perfect movie, showcasing Kahlo's spunk and grit and vision. I can't imagine if this movie didn't exist, but I can't believe what a high price Salma Hayek had to pay to get it produced. It will definitely give extra resonance to future viewings to know this background. And yes, I will fast forward that scene too. Gross!
3
At a recent exhibition of Mexican Modernist art, I could not get near the Frida Khalo paintings for the massive crowds - not so with Diego's.
It may or may not be true that great art arises from great suffering, but great art endures in spite of the bigotry, ignorance and entitlement of the smaller humans infesting its sphere.
The film Frida was great art. Your art. Julie Tamor's art and all the great actors/writers associated with it. The toads will be forgotten. Your work will live forever.
2
This breaks my heart. In addition to all the nauseating actions we have read about him, ad nauseum, what we also see is how he did everything he could, over time, to break Ms. Hayek's spirit and rob her sense of professional worth. Her story directs us to where the discussion must go - to every workplace where women are not taken seriously for their brains and ambition, and are belittled for trying. I am grateful for my long career in another very male-dominated industry where I was treated extremely well, and succeeded. But I think it was just serendipity. I am so sorry, Ms. Hayek.
5
Dear Selma thank you for a brav in sharing your story and for the courage to preserve and complete your beautiful move Frieda. I have been a practicing attorney for 32 years and have hoped and prayed this day would come and our voices would begin to me heard. I thought it would be #toolateforme but it isn’t
1
You are one of my favorite actresses. And your film one of my favorites. I'm so sorry for what you had to go through to get it made. Some men of power just get away with it. I can't believe he finally has fallen.
But I am grateful for you. I'm proud of you for telling your story. And I wish you much love and peace in the future.
2
This brought tears to my eyes. Such a powerful documentation of degradation and humiliation of this talented actor in the work place in so many dimensions. Thank you very much for speaking up and sharing your story, Ms. Hayek. As a professional woman, I faced unjustified dismissals (and sexist comments) by men in various positions I have held although I was and am more competent than many of them. I had to fight my way through these situations. However, your story touches all the nerve points. You are an incredible woman and have handled the abuse with dignity. I am sure that this abuse had negative consequences for you emotionally and psychologically. No one and no woman should be subjected to that. I hope that your assay is read, examined, and dissected in high school and college classrooms across this country. The men need to learn to treat women with respect. We are equal citizens. It is time to correct the injustice that have lasted far too long. Thanks for being a strong voice in deepening the conversation and advancing the discussion on equality and respect for women everywhere and every human being regardless of their position of power, sex, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or any other attribute.
4
Thank you, Salma! From time to time I was wondering why you were so silent. I knew you had something to share with the world about some of your battles against this unfair distribution of power. I'm an artist too, and I share with you, and with millions and millions of other women, the challenge of being a big dreamer in this macho world. A macho universe that has been perpetuated from generation to generation, and in Mexico in horrific levels. Few people realize what's behind the work of a woman. Thank you Sister!
2
Powerful people find ways to abuse their power, by taking advantage of their employees and underlings. It just so happens that one of the major ways powerful men abuse their power is by taking advantage of women sexually.
I used to work for a powerful woman who would "ask" employees to do personal favors for her. She always insisted that these employees were her "friends" and they were doing the favors because they liked her. It was hard for me to imagine that she actually believed that, but I never called her out on it because I, too, worked for her.
3
Thank you for sharing this powerful story Salma!
1
Salma - Thanks for this account and for admitting the confusion you experienced. We women grow up in this upside down world, told we are delicate while getting harsh treatment, told we are put on a pedestal and given unfair advantage while we work with bizarre impediments. I was confused when it was my turn to be treated poorly, only sorting it out much later. I think decent men (vast majority of them) are confused that we let ourselves be degraded. I want this story to be coupled with the stories of men whose movies have been produced by Weinstein. What was their experience, his warped attraction taken out of the situation? I'm so thankful that woman are standing up now. Thanks, Salma
4
Thank you Salma for sharing such a vulnerable and powerful account of the pernicious evils that you have experienced because of this awful man. It is through speaking the truth, to those in power that this entire vital movement has started and continues to roll on. I love your work as an artist, and I hope to see much more of it!
2
Ms. Hayek, we commend you. You are a hero in our eyes. Period. Every man and woman should read your words for the power and self-assurance they convey. As the old saw reminds us, "Sunlight is best of disinfectants." Whenever we put monsters or dragons into closets, they thrive on the darkness and thereby grow stronger. Shining light upon those monsters disables them and illuminates others' paths so they are protected by the wisdom of those that came before.
Any person of decency would be sickened by what Mr. Weinstein did to you, and I think any of us would have done anything to protect you from his obscene behavior. I too work as an artist in film and know how awful the suggested sacrifices can be--but still I have never been subjected to terror like yours.
Please know that "Frida" stands as one of the greatest works ever put to the screen. Your performance will flash before my eyes when my lights finally go out. You are the artist you imbued--you could never have been a nobody. And the reverberations of your roar here will transform younger women through your wisdom, and they will know that seeing oneself as a nobody is never an option. You will affect their lives for generations.
As Maya Angelou reminds us: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Nobody will forget how this history made any of us feel. Thank you for bringing it into the light.
6
I am among those women who have dark eyebrows. I must call my facial hair "unwanted", much like women who are "fat shamed". We depilate to be socially acceptable. We often hate ourselves for our hairiness. Being hirsute, we wonder are we even normal women. Among the many reasons this was a brave essay, I appreciate Salma defending the unibrow. (the moustache was perhaps too far beyond social acceptance). Frida accepted the body she was given and depicted it faithfully. It is tragic that she was so hurt by Diego.
2
"...for in every woman there is a girl."
Only if she's pregnant with one or has just eaten her.
This kind of diminution, Ms. Hayek, is EXACTLY what you are supposedly arguing against.
2
Absolutely reprehensible. Weinstein is a monster who feels entitled to have and to take anything he wants from the people he deems under him. The worse part about all this is how common this is. He maybe talented, but a monster nonetheless and there are plenty of people in power who are more or less like this. Can you imagine for every no, how many forced yeses there are? Can you imagine for every told story, how many untold stories there are?
3
Maybe movies are like sausages . . . best not to know how they're really made.
1
Powerful piece. I wonder how many other unnecessary sex scenes were added to films to satisfy Harvey's lust?
2
Very powerful write-up.
3
I am so sorry this happened to you - it is sickening to think of what too many powerful men have done to women! Thank you for sharing. It is a very brave thing to do.
3
Every person who speaks up is helping fuel this brave and inspiring movement to expose predators and to save people from being preyed on in the future. Thank you Selma for your courage!!!!!
2
Thank you Ms. Hayek for reminding us that when we perform sexually on screen, we are both satisfying and fueling the cravings of monsters—not just unrestrained producers but thousands of monsters in the vast viewing audience. The rampant portrayal of sex on screens is feeding the problem of sexual misconduct in all sectors of society.
4
"I had been proud of my capacity for forgiveness, but the mere fact that I was ashamed to describe the details of what I had forgiven made me wonder if that chapter of my life had really been resolved."
Thank you Salma Hayek for this insightful observation about forgiveness. I often hear people badger others to forgive the cruelty and harm people do, but in my view, forgiveness is up to the victim and it's nobody else's business. And in my view, forgiveness is conditional. A person who is cruel and abusive and unrepentant and remorseless is undeserving of forgiveness. If we who are victims can get past what they've done and put it behind us, all the better FOR US, but this does not require forgiving a psychopath or a remorseless abusive creep. And it certainly means not feeling ashamed. The shame is not ours to bear. I am sorry he did this to you, I am sorry you bore this all these years and I am grateful to you for coming forward.
5
The one blessing in this whole mess is that the con is exposed. Now what? I'm pretty sure these all are the kin of guys that don't really care - shame does not apply. What does apply it lower natured practicalities - how much can we get with the time we have left.
The good people who don't really get how bad people think need to stop expecting these guys to say,
"whoops, you caught us, we will be better now..."
you have to remember you are dealing with lackeys and loser and fakes who will do anything to keep gaming the system.
Right now, we are standing on the threshold of these guys taking so much money from us, it is going to be a debt paid by our children.
2
Selma, Congrats on beating the bully fair and square. What you have accomplished - and under intolerable conditions, and in the face of adversity - is incredible. Hold your head high. You won. Ps. Frida was an AWESOME movie!!! Best, Alexis
1
A deep bow of gratitude for your strong voice. May your heart be lighter
3
A beautiful, intelligent, and talented woman speaks her mind about a soul-less hyena of a man, and it's about time. Ashley Judd, her best friend, is very much the same as Salma, and she is very intelligent indeed. How Judd (and presumably Hayek, though hopefully not) can be so ignorant about politics is beyond me. Judd is a Trump hater and no doubt a globalist through and through.
These women are so right to go after that animal Weinstein, and I hope he spends the rest of his life incarcerated. But these two women are too old to change now, their brainwashing by their industry pals and by the media has done its job. Love to watch them at work, though, but sad to know they are clueless about political reality.
1
This is the first piece I've seen that unequivocally outs Weinstein as a quintessential sex addict. A very, very sick man.
His disease has very little to do with his position of power... the very common symptoms he displays are also on display among the entirely powerless, as well... men and women from every caste. Regardless of position, every sexaholic has two things in common...
1) they lead double lives, as Ms. Hayek aptly describes here... a sort of "Jekyl and Hyde" co-existence
2) They wreak havoc, and harm in their wakes.
Great movie. I remember watching it with my wife, and being very moved by it.
Sorry for your pain, Ms. Hayek.
2
Mil gracias, your words are so eloquent and meaningful. My daughter shared this with me and it makes me so happy that daughter and mother can have this discussion. Throughout my life I have had men who were colleagues act inappropriately with me in various situations, as a social worker, and a college professor. Not to mention a handsey brother in law and most recently a creep at a wedding! It never ends but with the influence that you have in this Oped changes will continue to be made. I loved the Frida movie and thought it displayed the power of women too. Know that you did fight him, you did stand up to him and there is absolutely no shame in doing that! Eres nuestra heroina!
2
I recall seeing this movie on a grey winter day in NYC and being transported by the colorful, lively locale, top-notch performances and well-told narrative of a fascinating artist. Who could imagine Ms. Hayek's nightmare in making this wonderful film.
4
I agree that Mr Weinstein should be imprisoned for his crimes. Once he has spent 10 years in a real prison I'm sure he would have some new insights about rape, consent and the finality of the word "no".
Great job Ms Hayek
2
This is so heartbreaking. The abuse she had to overcome from Weinstein to get Frida produced and released borders on the sadistic. Ms. Hayek deserves great respect for having had the strength and fortitude to stand up to this monster and for sharing her story today. I hope Harvey rots in jail for the remainder of his life.
6
Salma Hayek, your strength is an inspiration to all women. You denied Weinstein the opportunity to use his power to sexually dominate you; your strength surprised and enraged him and he tortured you for that. How tragic that with your beauty, talent, intelligence and passion, you suffered at the hands of this megalomaniac. Your story is all too common, but the strength and dignity with which you have handled yourself and this disclosure should make you feel proud and powerful. I hope that the era of men exercising sexual violence with impunity against less powerful women is coming to a close. The only way it will happen is if we ALL speak up against it with the detail and sensitivity you have shown here. I stand with you!
341
I've always thought Ms Hayek seemed unusually strong and intelligent. This story shows the truth of that. The writing is excellent; the story is shocking. It's amazing how many, many times she categorically said no to Weinstein yet he kept coming back. It's amazing that as an little-known actress she was able to meet his prohibitive demands for rewrites, financing, and costars. What's most surprising, frankly, is that she never gave up on making this film. How many people, male or female, would have been able to do most, let alone all, of that?
She only gave in on the added scene because by that point so many other people were invested in the movie and had helped her that she could not let them down. That scene struck me as curious when I saw it; while not implausible, it seemed tacked on from some other movie; it just didn't seem to fit with the rest if the film.
This story is Exhibit A of how even the strongest, most capable womens' careers can be -- and surely have often been -- diminished if not extinguished by sexism. Think how many talented women must have given up in the face of its irrational hate and humiliation. Think of how much greater Ms Hayek's career would likely have been if she had only had to face the level and type of challenges men in Hollywood face.
The unfairness of it is staggering. The loss to the world is literally unimaginable. What might have been...
491
Yes Teka, What might have been... We might not have this beautiful and thoughtful film without Salma's strength and perseverance. We would never know of the loss. Sad.
1
This is exactly what I want to say to those who insist that men are smarter than women because "just look at history, and men's accomplishments compared to women's!":
"Think how many talented women must have given up in the face of [sexism's] irrational hate and humiliation."
2
THANK YOU Salma for speaking out. It's never too late to add your voice and tell your truth. I so admired your work in Frida - knowing this back story only adds to the power of what you and your colleagues achieved. I am in awe of your strength and your ability to stand up to the bullying and rage of this maniac. I am sure the "Silence Breakers" will be happy to have you join their girl squad. For every idiot who mutters about witch hunts, I will have them read this powerful account.
4
Annabella Sciorra's rape (among others' accounts) was enough to convince me he should be locked up for good like any other serial offender. Ms. Hayek's story just confirms that the man is a certifiable psychopath--the stalking, the violent threats, the mood swings from manipulative charmer to ranting maniac. Why is he still free?
10
He should be in jail.
7
I just wish that more men read the NYT.
4
Sexist, abusive, mysoginist, Harvey Weinstein thought that everyone was like him and would not appreciate a movie with a strong female lead without a degrading sex scene between women. I guess you are not so brilliant, after all, Mr. Weinstein. Sorry to hear, Ms. Hayak, that you were abused and objectified in such a way. It really should be criminal.
6
Horrifying to know that Weinstein required a lesbian sex scene before you were allowed to finish your movie. It's abuse to require non-consensual sex EVER.
This has to stop--not just the abuse of women, but the use of sex to sell movies. Writers, producers, agents, actors ALL have to stand up against it. You really don't have to prostitute actors to tell a story.
12
Well, it may be easy to assume that a "sex scene" has sex in it, but no. If you see the movie, it is not pornography, and the sexuality of Frida is a key part of her story.
We do not need to go back to the ages where sex and sexuality was limited to innuendo in films.
2
I didn't say sex and sexuality had to be limited to innuendo; I said compelling non-consensual sex or nudity is prostituting the actor. No matter how much HW, producers, directors, or the audience may enjoy it.
1
I love Salma and I love the artist Frida. It is so hurtful to read what Salma had to go through to this movie produced (I watched the movie as a teenager and loved it. little did I know the struggle Salma went through). If I werent in my school library I would be in tears now, in fact halfway through this story I wanted to cry because I felt every sentence I was reading. I am so sorry for what you had to go through and so glad you stuck to your values. Thank you Salma for being a warrior, and an inspiration for Latin American woman and all women. And most of all thank you for sharing your story, it is just as important.
5
No matter what any crass comments could indicate--writing this piece for the nyt took GUTS.
37
Ms. Hayek, thank you for telling your story. You are a strong, brilliant artist and a brave role model. You always have been, but especially now.
10
Thank you for your courage and vulnerability. It helps when famous people step forward to talk about this. The women who investigated and wrote the journalistic feature about Harvey Weinstein created a space for many of us to tell our truth. Selma's story will undoubtedly help another person find their truth. One more story is a win for women.
With deep gratitude to those who are telling their stories. Heroes--all of them!
12
This is an astounding account, which unfortunately resonated with me on many levels (as a woman, a girl, a female performing artist) I burst into tears sobbing as I finished reading it - some cathartic release for which I am most grateful. Selma - you have long been one of my favorite artists - and "Frida" was/is a brilliant work. Thank you for your strength - at a time in my life when I question the value of moving forward, you give me a sense of renewed purpose.
9
This is a stunning piece of writing. I am so moved by Salma Hayek's story and and the way she describes her experiences. (Is this appearing in the print edition of the New York Times? And if so, when will that be? Or did I miss it somehow?) She is a brilliant human who went through something nobody should ever have to experience. Someday perhaps we as a species can truly become human. It's my aspiration that humanity can be more than a mere fantasy. But I have hope because so many incredible people struggle every day to achieve this. Selma Hayek is one of them. I applaud her courage, wisdom and innate poetry.
16
I challenge anyone who thinks that the #MeToo movement/phenomenon is a witch hunt or manifestation of Puritanical attitudes to read this moving column by Salma Hayek. All I have to say it that - "it's about time". No - that's too weak. Let me rephrase - "it's been a long time coming and way, way overdue."
May this effort continue until it scours the White House from floor to ceiling and women enjoy the same and equal rights as men. We got a glimmer of that last night in Alabama. Only then will this truly be the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Thank you Salma!
18
This is devastating and I don't doubt a word. To Dave, who just commented, try to summon up a sense of empathy for this amazing woman. Selma Hayek, you made a beautiful film and you deserve your success. I pray that Harvey Weinstein will never bother you again.
9
This is utterly heartbreaking.
Thank you for sharing your story. As horrible as it is, you were fortunate to have so many powerful, connected, wonderful friends who helped you (even if they didn’t know the full story) through this constant abuse.
I think of all the women who confront this and are alone. Or believe themselves to be. Who believe that only a downcast face and silence can move them past physical and/or emotional abuse.
#MeToo cannot fade away, ever. Not only because the women and men who have been sexually harassed and/or assaulted must be able to find a supportive community in which to share their stories, but because everyone, everywhere - particularly the youth of our country - must be reminded that their voices have power, that they have value and that no one – not a friend, not a lover, not a teacher, not a parent, not a government official – no one has the right to minimize them or try to take away their humanity.
You were brave and you were strong and I’m so thankful that you muscled through. Your story is truly inspirational.
10
What so many have to realize is the problem is not just sex nor is it man vs woman. This is all about power. Those in power that choose to abuse that power to get what they want. Yes, Harvey used his power to get sex and to watch sex but the bullying and harassment doesn't end or begin there. The one in power can be male or female and the abuse can be a wide variety of demands. None of it should be tolerated but if you want the job, sadly you must endure it. I thank Salma for reliving the pain so we can see the extent of the abuse this powerful person inflicted on his subordinates.
5
A very powerful story from an amazing artist. Thanks Salma for your courage. I have respected you from your early days in Mexican soaps and you only get better. It's not true that the value of your work is based on your sex appeal. I would have followed you regardless based solely on the strength of your acting. I look forward to you evolving into wider roles as you mature.
5
Thank you for telling us your story in such full detail, the tension between what you suffered for a film you poured your heart and soul into, and your need to pretend everything was okay so you wouldn't fall to pieces in front of Harvey gives me such anguish. I marvel at the number of women who can hold things in and pretend to be nice to men who've treated them so shabbily. I don't have any ability to hide my feelings like that. If I don't like someone, and especially if I hate and resent them, they have a good sense of it, just by the way I look at them. I wonder what would have happened if you'd treated Harvey the way you felt toward him. Maybe you would not have understood him as well as you do now, because it's amazing to me that you can still see his humanity after all he did to you. Now I want to see "Frida"!
133
I wonder, though, if "holding things in" and "pretending to be nice" to men who, in this case, committed serial atrocities and abused his considerable power, is a tendency that we should be questioning, rather than elevating. This is not to denounce the bravery that it took to make Frida a reality and to come forward with this story now, but I don't see how anyone benefits from pretending that a serial predator's compliment on a "beautiful movie" is gratefully received. I noticed that there was no apology in HW's "changed man" remarks, and I don't see what's unrefined or inappropriate about letting someone who treated you abominably know that they have no right to approach you, ever again, and they are not to speak to you under any circumstances.
Why the smile? And why should we, as women, admire (not the assertiveness or the perseverance or the determination, all self-evidently admirable qualities) the smile in the face of someone who devalues others' humanity so brutally?
2
It is ironic that Trump enabled this and finally the society will better accept the man-woman equality. The female actors should have 49.9%-50.1% ratio in the sentences spoken in the movies overall, just because it is nearly impossible to make it exactly 50-50. Different movies can have male or female dominance, but across all movies, I think it should come close to 50-50.
1
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. For those of us who also fear that no one will believe us, and that even if they do, it won't matter, thank you for your incredible courage and your vulnerability. When I read this I ache with compassion for you. And it helps me to feel more compassion for my younger self, and less toxic unearned shame. Bless you for the good you have done in writing this.
2
I am deeply touched by the passion in this article.
Every time I see a film I wonder about Weinstein's influence.
Has anybody heard from Kiera Knightly?
3
Brava! Beautifully written and so self-aware. People will always resist what they don't understand. Thank you for so reasonably clarifying what that terrible experience in the workplace meant to/ for you.
4
Brava Salma!
... & thanx for Frida, a really impressive film that made a lasting impression.
5
I haven't paid a lot of attention to the many reports and allegations of sexual harassment and predation by politicians and power frokers, whether it be a Minnesota Senator or a Seattle mayor who is gay. For the record, I don't believe Al Franken should have been forced to resign over the allegations against him. People like Weinstein, though, need to be held accountable, which I have no doubt he will. This is a courageous personal story, and I am not surprised that Salma Hayek is the writer behind it.
1
What is astounding about Ms. Hayek's story is how one man has so much power than he can persist with boorish behavior over years, punish women who refuse to indulge his advances and kinks, behave really badly in front of so many people, and still have so much power in the film industry when his behavior is well-known. I believe the only reason Weinstein's abusive behavior was outed is that many Americans are disgusted that a serial sexual harrasser who regularly engages in abusive rants via Twitter was elected president of the United States. Weinstein's outing is far too little, too late, to resolve that problem.
5
Thank you so much for this deeply moving essay and expose. I spent more than 10 years working in a similar industry where men have always held all the power, and I have faced similar ridiculous demands in order to keep a job that I had worked very hard for. I am so thrilled to think that my daughter and granddaughter hopefully will never have to face what you or I have, or feel so totally alone and helpless ever again. Brava, Ms. Hayek!
3
First, thanks Ms.Hayak for making your vision come true. Frida’s story did deserve to be told, and your perseverance in the face of abuse and mental torture is commendable. I don’t know how you did it.
Aside from that your peice made me contemplate the subtle and not subtle decisions made by sexists and misogynists in Hollywood and how that continually infects the image of all women on a daily basis. Trying to alter the image of a brilliant artist so she doesn’t look like herself but rather another model, trying to make sex the focus of any female character on screen, how do these directorial decisions pervade our consciousness and make us undervalue our own worth?
3
Thank you for telling your story, and I am so very sorry about what happened to you as a person and as a woman. Too many men, like Harvey Weinstein, are actually monsters, sexual predators, or simply Neanderthals hiding behind the mask of normalcy and dressed in a business suit as if all bestial instincts were defeated and contained eons ago. Not true. They are simply hidden under a 'thin veneer of civilization'. It is always a horrible surprise to see what is beneath the façade of a talented, successful businessman and/or so-called family man.
I am so glad that the women he abused all bravely came forward and shared their stories. I hope everyone understands how hard it is for women to relate experiences where they were humiliated by men and made to feel like they were only useful to provide sexual pleasure to a man in power. A man who is using and abusing his executive power because he can or thinks he can. There is no relationship, or even pretense of one, just an act to be performed, and upon demand.
These women do not deserve to be humiliated or debased but that is the role they are forced into when in contact with a sexual male predator who is all about domination and sexual gratification. Monsters who get a sick pleasure out of demeaning a woman and watching her squirm or in some cases, perform. They need to be brought down and their days of reckoning have arrived. Trump's day has come as well.
The scales of justice are being balanced finally.
3
Salma Hayek should turn her story of the making of Frida into a movie.
7
Thank you, Salma Hayek. Thank you for sharing this, as painful as it may have been to do so.
Secual predators need to be called out, cowed, exposed. Silence lends them power. Exposure brings at least some of the vilification they deserve.
Brava to you, for sharing, for speaking out - and brava to you as well for your excellent artistry. And perseverance. Well done.
3
Salma Hayek is as strong, as she is beautiful -and wise.
This is a very moving piece - also very disturbing hearing more
details about her "boss."
3
What still breaks my heart reading this article is that Ms. Hayek didn't feel that, "after asking for so many favors," she could open up to the women she was working with, or to her friends, and let them know why she was suddenly suffering an emotional breakdown and rushing to take tranquilizers. Weinstein's behavior is horrific and he's long overdue for the kind of exposure that courageous writing such as this one are bringing about, but why is it that women felt compelled, for so long, to keep the extent of their suffering from one another?
2
It seems that there was a requirement for female nudity in movies and cable television. The excuse was that it made the film more real. But did it? There are many great films out there that don't have nudity, but have great acting and good stories they tell. Who is the nudity really for? I am not in favor of censorship, but I am in favor of artistry as opposed to providing voyeurism for the male audience. Frida would have been a great movie without the skin. Those who treasure film need to look back to discover all the movies that didn't require nudity to tell the story and ask themselves why it was there.
5
Yes. The nudity in Frida was tastefully handled and never felt exploitive, even the scene that Weinstein demanded.
Thank you Ms. Hayek for recounting your sad but courageous story. I teach your film "Frida" in a first year seminar "Modern Artists in Film" and will be doing so again this coming January. I did not know until now the trials you went through to get this excellent film about a pioneering artist made. It is always named by many of my students as their favorite. For this coming semester, however, there will be an extra reading assignment: your essay. Now the students will read first hand about all the risks and demands you had to meet (production and casting) and avert (sexual demands), and the toll it took on you and the inspired director, Julie Taymour. It also explains why a gratuitous sex scene was so explicitly placed in the film. Most of all, I hope this essay will be an inspiration for my first year students who unfortunately might find themselves in compromising situations in our frats and sororities to say loud and clear, NO.
5
Well, Ms. Hayek, I think "Frida" is a brilliant film, and I think that your performance as Frida is magnificent. It is one of many of your performances that has stayed with me. And while I hope that if you are reading this, you take my compliments to heart, I hope, know, and am very glad that my opinion has no sway over you, or your many talents.
I think every artist's path is uniquely difficult, but I also think society makes that path even more difficult for women. And that means everyone loses.
Thank you for working so hard to enrich the lives of so many, and thank you for telling your story.
3
#NeverthelessShePersisted May your courage in coming forward lead to healing. you are a wonderful and talented person!
6
This is very difficult to read. I am so grateful that Ms. Hayek persevered with "Frida", and so sorry that it was such a painful journey. "Frida" is one of my favorite movies, and I believe will stand the test of time for future audiences. Like Frida, who endured unimaginable pain throughout her life, Ms. Hayek discovered an inner core of steel. She fought for herself, and helped all women in the process.
5
When people talk about the price of success they never factor in how truly horrible that price can be. Truth is stranger than fiction. I am sorry you had to go thru this and thankful you are telling your story now. This took a lot of bravery.
The behind the scenes version of making Frida would be a heck of movie in itself.. It would be a suspense packed action thriller. What a horror!
8
This is horrible, and I am shaking with rage! Ms. Hayek, you are a wonderful actress and you've been in some excellent films. No one should ever stand in the way of that. Thank you for telling your story!
7
Ed Norton is even more awesome that I already thought he was. Wow, that guy is super awesome!
11
I bet it killed Weinstein to be rejected by Hayek, one of the most beautiful women in the world. My advice to the women of Hollywood - hire a bodyguard. No one should have to take a middle of the night call or a knock on the door.
6