Trigger warning: This article references rape and sexual assault.
The harrowing Harvey Weinstein case marked a major shift in Hollywood and across the world. That is, the #MeToo movement went viral, prompting millions of women to share their experiences with sexual violence and find they weren't alone – that in fact, sexual assault is so prevalent that most women can say “me too”, in some sense of the words. Not only were our eyes opened to the very dark side of the glossy world of film, but overnight, countless women were coming forward with their stories.
Last week, New York’s top court overturned one of the convictions against Harvey Weinstein, arguably Hollywood's most prolific sexual abuser. This means that one of his 2020 rape convictions has been thrown out, on the basis that he did not receive a fair trial. Prosecutors say they will retry Weinstein's case, and while Weinstein remains in prison following his 2022 conviction – when he was sentenced to 16 years for his conviction for another case of rape and sexual assault – for many, this can’t help but feel like a step backwards for the #MeToo movement and the fight for women’s safety.
MeToo’s explosion into mainstream all began with a simple tweet by Alyssa Milano back in 2017 with Harvey Weinstein front and centre, creating a movement against male violence, harassment and sexual abuse. “If all the women who have been sexually assaulted or harassed wrote ‘Me Too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem,” she wrote at the time.
Immediately, there was a cultural shift in how we speak about these issues at all. But while the progress is there surrounding the conversation, what about the action? How many of these powerful men accused of rape and sexual assault have actually faced charges and convictions?
“What is clear is, the more serious the allegation the tougher it is for a victim to get justice,” says Alan Collins, a partner in the sex abuse team at UK law firm Hugh James. “Sexual assault is rarely witnessed, and as the law stands it is an inevitable hurdle to overcome but not impossible. Acquittal or conviction always turns on the quality of the evidence.”
We all know that Weinstein is certainly not the only abusive mogul of Hollywood accused of sexual offences. In the prevalent force that is the MeToo movement, countless powerful people – predominantly men – are facing serious allegations as the movement goes against the ‘untouchable’ and exposes sexual misconduct in Hollywood.
How many Hollywood men have been convicted post #MeToo?
While the #MeToo movement has undoubtedly raised awareness, the number of actual convictions in Hollywood is fairly low. Those who have been convicted include Danny Masterson, who was found guilty on two counts of rape in May 2023. And in June 2022, following years of countless allegations against him, R.Kelly was convicted of eight counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering. And though one of Harvey Weinstein's convictions has been overturned, his other conviction of rape and sexual assault still stands. Bill Cosby was previously convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman and given a 10-year prison sentence – but he was released in 2021 due to a shock overturning of his conviction.
Many previous high-profile cases have also been settled out of court, or the accused has been acquitted. Kevin Spacey was found not guilty after a four-week trial investigating the allegation that he sexually assaulted four men in July 2023 – while TV chef Mario Batali was cleared of sexual misconduct in May 2022; he went on to settle two lawsuits brought by two women.
Ahead, a breakdown of some of the most high-profile allegations following the #MeToo movement, and where the accused are now.
Harvey Weinstein
Allegations began in 2017, sparking heightened awareness of the #MeToo movement. The former film producer has faced two trials including one in 2020 – which has just been overturned – where he was originally jailed for 23 years for sexually assaulting a former production assistant back in 2006 and raping an upcoming actress in 2013. Another case in 2022 (which keeps Weinstein in prison) saw him convicted of raping an Italian model/actress in 2013 and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Louis C.K.
In 2017, several allegations of sexual misconduct arose around Louis arose – which he confirmed were true – including masturbating in front of his colleagues. At the time, he gave a lengthy statement apologising and admitting his actions, and was let go by Netflix, HBO and FX – but he returned to stand-up months later. He remains in the limelight today and even won a Grammy in 2022. He has not been charged with any crime related to his sexual misconduct.
Bill Cosby
In 2018, the former comedian and actor was found guilty of drugging and assaulting a woman in 2004. He served just under three years in prison, as the Pennsylvania state supreme court overturned his conviction releasing him from prison in 2021. Just one year later in 2022 he was found liable for sexually abusing a 16-year-old woman back in the 1970s at the Playboy mansion and ordered to pay the victim $500,000. Cosby remains free from prison despite further allegations of sexual abuse made against him. He has denied all allegations.
James Franco
A 2019 lawsuit accused Franco of taking advantage of his female students at his own acting school and abusing his ‘powerful’ position, leaving the women feeling sexually objectified. The case ended in Franco paying a settlement of £1.6 million, alongside a statement in which he denied the allegations. He continues to act, and starred in the 2023 film You, Mine.
R. Kelly
In May 2018, two women came forward to accuse R&B star R. Kelly of sexual abuse. Further allegations date back to the nineties, involving minors. In 2022 he was jailed for 30 years, convicted on eight counts of sex trafficking and one racketeering – and months later was also convicted of child sexual abuse in a second trial. He is currently held in prison without bail.
Legal loopholes have meant that the more people who accused him of rape, the less likely he was to be found guilty as a rapist.
Danny Masterson
The former actor was convicted after three women testified that he had sexually assaulted them between 2001 and 2003 at his home in the height of his Hollywood fame on That 70’s Show. In 2023 he was sentenced to 30 years-to-life in prison, on two counts of forcible rape. He remains in prison today.
Dustin Hoffman
In 2017 Hoffman was accused of the sexual harassment of a teenage intern on set in 1985. Further allegations came to light as he was accused of exposing himself to another minor back in the 1980s, this time one of his own daughter's friends in a hotel room. He denied the allegations and is not known to have faced any charges.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
At the forefront of serious allegations surrounding sexual assault in 2024, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs' is facing several lawsuits accusing him of sex trafficking, sexual abuse and rape. The investigation is ongoing; he denies all allegations.
Michael Douglas
The film producer and actor was first publicly reported in January 2018 by a woman who alleged that Douglas sexually harassed her and masturbated in front of her in his home during a one-on-one script reading. He denied the allegations, and no charges were brought.
John Lasseter
As reported back in November 2017, the former chief creative officer of Pixar was accused by multiple people claiming his pattern of sexually harassing women in the workplace. The allegations led to him taking a leave of absence. No legal action was brought, and in 2019 he was hired as head of animation at Skydance Animation after apologising. “I have spent the last year away from the industry in deep reflection, learning how my actions unintentionally made colleagues uncomfortable, which I deeply regret and apologise for. It has been humbling, but I believe it will make me a better leader,” he said at the time.
Female musicians are still facing relentless misogyny, MPs warn.
Ed Westwick
The Gossip Girl star was also reported in November 2017, with multiple women accusing him of sexual assault and rape. At the time, Ed's role was recast in drama Ordeal by Innocence due to the allegations. He denied the accusations. In 2018, it was confirmed he would not face charges due to insufficient evidence.
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck was called out in October 2017 by two women accusing him of groping them. One occasion, shown on film, showed him groping actor Hilarie Burton on MTV’s Total Request Live to which he tweeted his apology for “acting inappropriately” in 2017. A makeup artist also came forward for accusing him of grabbing her inappropriately at the Golden Globes 2014. No charges were brought.
Russell Brand
In September 2023 Russell Brand was accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse, as part of an investigation for a Channel 4 documentary, Russell Brand: In Plain Sight. The list of disturbing allegations included raping a woman, grooming a 16 year-old minor and sexual assault. He denies the allegations and has not been arrested or charged.
Kevin Spacey
After undergoing a four-week trial in July 2023, Kevin Spacey was found not guilty of nine sexual offences against four different men between 2004 and 2013. The allegations included grabbing men by the crotch and performing a sexual act on an aspiring actor who was sleeping at the time. Spacey denied these allegations, and was found not guilty.
For more information about reporting and recovering from rape and sexual abuse, you can contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222. If you have been sexually assaulted, you can find your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre here. You can also find support at your local GP, voluntary organisations such as Rape Crisis, Women's Aid, and Victim Support, and you can report it to the police (if you choose) here.
