Tom Hanks, actor, author and a family man, was shocked with the developments on Harvey Weinstein’s dark side. In his interview, Mr Hanks said the predatory behaviour is a plague of the modern world, moreover, not only Hollywood has that problem, other industries too. The actor believes that there is no way back for movie mogul following allegations of sexual misconduct.
While Harvey Weinstein “unequivocally denies” allegations of sexual abuse, Tom Hanks believes the Hollywood is at a watershed moment. During the interview to BBC, the actor said that Weinstein name will become a noun and a verb.
‘It will become an identifying moniker for a state of being for which there was a before and an after,’
Hanks said but added that Hollywood and entertainment industry aren’t the only ones where sexual harassment takes place.
‘It would be too simplistic to say this only happens in Hollywood… I watch Mad Men, you could probably say the same about the advertising agency. Look at the halls of government, how many sex scandals do you have there?’
Tom explains his point of view.
Tom Hanks about men in power and struggling women
Tom Hanks said the problem of sexual assault was widespread, anywhere that there are men in power there are going to be those types of guys who are sexual predators for the women who work underneath them. Even the homosexual community does the same way. According to Hanks, the predatory behaviour is just inexcusable.
Hanks added that while many people succeed in Hollywood because of their love of the craft of acting and filmmaking, there are “plenty of people going into it for power – sexual aggressiveness and sexual predatory behaviour in the workplace are criminal”.
When asked if women should have “proper representation” on company boards, Hanks said:
‘Of course there should be, without a doubt. They should pay no attention to gender whatsoever, it should be a meritocracy.’
Hanks, who is on the board of the organisation behind the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said he could not comment on the recent decision to remove Mr Weinstein from the board.
