Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet denounce Harvey Weinstein's 'inexcusable' behavior

Film producer Harvey Weinstein was fired from the company he co-founded on Sunday, following a New York Times report about actresses and colleagues accusing Weinstein of sexual harassment, and the payments Weinstein made to at least eight of the women. On Monday, several of Hollywood's biggest stars, including actresses and directors who worked closely with Weinstein, spoke out against what they called his "disgraceful" and "appalling" behavior.

Meryl Streep said in a statement the news has "appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported. The intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse are our heroes." Streep clarified that "not everybody knew" about the allegations, and said she did not hear about his financial settlements or "inappropriate coercive acts." His behavior was "inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar. Each brave voice that is raised, heard, and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game."

In a statement, Kate Winslet said that the women who came forward to speak out against Weinstein's "gross misconduct" are "incredibly brave." The way Weinstein treated these "vulnerable, talented young women is not the way women should ever deem to be acceptable or commonplace in any workplace," Winslet continued, and his "behavior is without question disgraceful and appalling and very, very wrong."

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Their sentiments were echoed by other actresses and directors, including Dame Judi Dench, who said his offenses were "horrifying" and offered her "sympathy to those who have suffered and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out." Kevin Smith tweeted that Weinstein "financed the first 14 years of my career — and now I know while I was profiting, others were in terrible pain. It makes me feel ashamed."