The following deals with sexual assault and rape, which may be triggering for some readers.
In late 2017, reporters from The New York Times and The New Yorker drew back the curtain on one of Hollywood’s best-known and most-shameful secrets: over the course of several decades, hugely influential producer Harvey Weinstein had leveraged his position to create opportunities to sexually harass, assault and rape multiple women.
As the ‘silence breakers’ — from little known aspiring actors and assistants, to big names like Ashley Judd, Angelina Jolie and Rose McGowan — bravely told their truth, there was another woman on the fringes of it all who bravely chose to believe them.
Georgina Chapman, Harvey Weinstein’s then-wife.
Watch: Australian actors on dealing with sexual harassment. (Post continues below.)
Weinstein was this week convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another, crimes which could land him in prison for between five and 29 years.
Chapman, a British-born fashion designer and co-founder of the label Marchesa, has so far remained silent on the verdict. But has previously made it clear where her sympathies lie.
“My heart breaks for all the women.” Georgina Chapman on #MeToo.
Within a week of the allegations against Weinstein being made public, Georgina Chapman released a statement announcing her intention to divorce him.
For her own sake, that of their two children (9-year-old India and 6-year-old Dashiell) and all the women her husband had hurt.
“My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions,” she told PEOPLE at the time.
“I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority.”
The pair reached a divorce settlement in January 2018 that was reportedly worth between US$15 million and $20 million (AU$22.7m to $30.3m). Chapman also won primary custody of the children.
Victims by association.
Not even Chapman's professional life was immune from the revelations. Her ex-husband's (then only alleged) crimes proved so poisonous that she was forced to cancel Marchesa's New York Fashion Week showing in February 2018.
Famous women lept to her defence, including legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour who penned an op-ed for the magazine's June 2018 issue in which she declared that Chapman knew nothing of Weinstein's shameful conduct and that "blaming her for any of it, as too many have in our gladiatorial digital age, is wrong".
Just days earlier, actor Scarlett Johansson made her own statement when she wore the former red-carpet staple to the Met Gala. Speaking about her reason to pick a Marchesa gown, she told The Cut, “It is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers".
In a 2018 Vogue interview, Chapman reflected on the personal fallout from the allegations against her disgraced ex-husband and reiterated that she had no idea about what he'd done.
"That’s what makes this so incredibly painful: I had what I thought was a very happy marriage. I loved my life," she said.
"There was a part of me that was terribly naive — clearly, so naive," she said. "I have moments of rage, I have moments of confusion, I have moments of disbelief! And I have moments when I just cry for my children. What are their lives going to be?
"What are people going to say to them? It’s like, they love their dad. They love him. I just can’t bear it for them," she added through tears.
Georgina's life now.
Harvey Weinstein is due to be sentenced on March 11. He will be imprisoned at New York's notorious Rikers Island jail, however is currently in hospital reportedly after experiencing heart palpitations.
Chapman was not present at any stage of his trial and said nothing of the guilty verdict.
A number of tabloids have reported sources saying she is focused on rebuilding her life.
She is reportedly in a relationship with actor Adrien Brody, according to Page Six.
And professionally speaking, she continues to guide Marchesa's comeback, albeit without co-founder Keren Craig who announced her departure from the brand in July last year. Though a long way from its former A-list glory, the label has slowly carved its way back into glossy magazine pages and onto red carpets, as Chapman doggedly works to rid herself of Weinstein's poison.
If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.
Feature image: Getty.
Top Comments
She married a man who pushed her clothes onto his celebrities and made it a red carpet staple, but she had no vested interests at all? Even aside from the assault, Weinstein had people followed and threatened, he’s thanked in more oscars speeches than God because everyone knew that if you weren’t in with Harvey, he would make sure you were out of the industry. And the main issue was that she immediately came out supporting her husband, but then changed her mind after the public backlash against her brand. Marrying him was a business decision and so was leaving him.
Also, the clothes are nothing special, so without Harvey pushing them onto A listers I’m not surprised the brand isn’t thriving.
"Marrying him was a business decision"
I think many people see marriage as some form of business decision. And I actually don't see anything wrong with that. Modern western society has created this requirement that marriage can only be about true love.
There's something wrong with it when you claim to be completely ignorant of your business partner's dealings when he's a criminal, especially when you're making personal profit from the relationship. Chapman strategically jumped ship, but it's totally unbelievable that she wasn't aware of, if not complicit with, his behaviour. Weinstein was an open secret in Hollywood. Everyone knew.
So Courtney Love knew about Weinstein, but his wife had no idea whatsoever. Sure, Jan.