Not long after The New York Times published a report titled "Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades," dozens of celebrities came forward to allege inappropriate behavior on the part of the Hollywood producer. One such person was model and actress Cara Delevingne, who alleged that Weinstein invited her up to his hotel room and encouraged her to kiss another woman who was also present.
The alleged experience, which Delevingne detailed to journalist Yashar Ali, who then posted the statement on Twitter, made the Paper Towns star feel "powerless" and "scared."
Now, in an interview with Vanity Fair, Delevingne has stated that speaking out against the producer was an empowering experience — and something people need to do more often.
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When asked whether telling her Weinstein story was "cathartic," Delevingne told Vanity Fair:
"Yes, completely so. The other day, on Instagram, a young person said to me that their boss called them a 'faggot.' And she asked, 'Should I report them? Everyone at work said I shouldn’t.' I was like, 'Absolutely, you definitely should,'" Delevingne told the outlet, before adding:
"What would you say to your friend? This was just someone on Instagram, but it speaks to what I’d like to see in 2018, which is people speaking up and talking about things, no matter how painful they may be. The things that make you uncomfortable are what is important because that’s what’s going to help change the world and make a difference."
The statement echoes an Instagram post that the Valerian star posted shortly after her message about Weinstein hit the internet. On October 11, the model wrote:
"I want women and girls to know that being harassed or abused or raped is NEVER their fault and not talking about it will always cause more damage than speaking the truth. I am relieved to be able to share this....i actually feel better and I'm proud of the women who are brave enough to speak....this isn't easy but there are strength in our numbers. As I said, this is only the beginning. In every industry and especially in Hollywood, men abuse their power using fear and get away with it. This must stop. The more we talk about it, the less power we give them. I urge you all to talk and to the people who defend these men, you are part of the problem."
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Following the onslaught of allegations against Weinstein, allegations of sexual harassment or assault against many other powerful men in Hollywood have continued to mount. Among the accused are producer Brett Ratner, former That '70s Show actor Danny Masterson, and House of Cards star Kevin Spacey.
Weinstein's representative Holly Baird has issued this statement to Refinery29:
"Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual."