Harvey Weinstein
Early Life and Education
Harvey Weinstein was born on March 19, 1952, in Flushing, Queens, New York, to Max Weinstein, a diamond cutter, and Miriam (née Postel). He has a younger brother, Bob Weinstein, who would later become his business partner. Weinstein grew up in a Jewish family and attended the John Bowne High School. He later enrolled at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he developed an interest in the film industry.
Career
After graduating from university, Weinstein, along with his brother Bob, co-founded Miramax, a small independent film distribution company, in 1979. The company was named after their parents, Miriam and Max. Miramax's early success came with films like The Secret Policeman's Other Ball in 1982, and by the late 1980s, Miramax had scored big hits with films like Cinema Paradiso and Sex, Lies, and Videotape.
In 1993, the Weinstein brothers sold Miramax to The Walt Disney Company, but remained in control of the company's operations until 2005. During their tenure at Miramax, the company produced a number of critically acclaimed films such as Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, and Shakespeare in Love, the latter of which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1999.
In 2005, the Weinstein brothers left Miramax to establish a new film studio, The Weinstein Company. The company continued the success of Miramax, producing films like The King's Speech and Django Unchecked, both of which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Legal Issues and Controversies
In October 2017, Weinstein was dismissed from The Weinstein Company and expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault. His actions sparked the global "#MeToo" movement, leading to a significant shift in the way sexual harassment and assault are perceived and handled in the entertainment industry and beyond.
In 2020, Weinstein was convicted of rape and sexual assault in New York and was sentenced to 23 years in prison. He also faces additional charges in Los Angeles.
Personal Life
Weinstein has been married twice. His first marriage was to his assistant Eve Chilton in 1987. They had three children together before divorcing in 2004. In 2007, Weinstein married English fashion designer and actress Georgina Chapman. They have two children together. Chapman announced she was leaving Weinstein in October 2017, shortly after the sexual assault allegations against him became public.
Legacy
Despite his criminal convictions, Weinstein's impact on the film industry is undeniable. His companies, Miramax and The Weinstein Company, have produced some of the most critically acclaimed films of the past three decades. However, his legacy is now largely overshadowed by his criminal actions and the subsequent #MeToo movement that his actions helped ignite.