Actress Patricia Clarkson detailed a contentious encounter with former Miramax executive Harvey Weinstein during her 2003 Oscar campaign, describing the interaction as "very ugly." She said the experience motivated her to participate in the 2022 film "She Said," which chronicled the investigation into Weinstein's abuse allegations.
Clarkson told Business Insider that Weinstein pressured her to campaign for best supporting actress for the film "The Station Agent," despite her leading role in the independent movie. At the same time, she was already being campaigned in the supporting category for "Pieces of April," where she played a mother in a clearly supporting role to actress Katie Holmes.
"I hate when actors put themselves in false categories," Patricia Clarkson stated, explaining her refusal to seek a supporting nomination for "The Station Agent." She maintained that performers should compete in the category appropriate to their role's size and significance within a film.
According to Clarkson, her disagreement with Weinstein over the category for "The Station Agent" led to him threatening that she would "never work again." She reported standing her ground despite the intimidation.
Clarkson ultimately received an Oscar nomination in the best supporting actress category for her work in "Pieces of April." However, she said the confrontation with Weinstein remained with her.
She explained that this history contributed to her decision to portray New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in "She Said," a movie centered on The New York Times' 2017 investigation into Weinstein's history of misconduct.
While acknowledging her own experience was difficult, Clarkson noted that many women faced far more severe abuse from Weinstein. She described her incident as "patter" compared to what others endured, which made discussing it feel unusual.
Weinstein is currently serving a 16-year sentence on sexual assault charges from a California conviction. His 2020 New York conviction was overturned his conviction by the state's highest court last year, and a retrial in that case is underway. Weinstein has maintained that all sexual encounters were consensual.
Clarkson was asked directly if her experience motivated her role in "She Said." She replied emphatically, "Of course it was a motivation to do 'She Said.' Of course it was."
