Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein said in an exclusive interview with the New York Post that he needs recognition for the things he did for a lot of women in the industry.
"I want this city to recognise who I was instead of what I've become", he said in the interview on Friday. "I made more movies directed by women and about women than any filmmaker, and I’m talking about 30 years ago. I'm not talking about now when it's vogue. I did it first! I pioneered it!"
As an example, he mentioned a contract he had given Gwyneth Paltrow - who is also one of his alleged victims.
"I feel like the forgotten man", Weinstein confessed. "It all got eviscerated because of what happened. My work has been forgotten."
Earlier, Weinstein reached a tentative agreement worth $25 million with women who accused him of sexual harassment and assault, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. The settlement would relieve him from admitting to any misconduct or paying the alleged victims, but it would be instead paid by an insurance firm representing the Weinstein Company. The settlement still requires court approval and a sign off by all parties.
In 2017, dozens of actresses and former Weinstein employees claimed that the movie mogul raped or somehow forced them into having sex with him, with most accusations dating back as far as the 1980s. Weinstein has denied all the accusations, insisting that all the sexual relationships he had were consensual.
A criminal trial on charges of sexual assault involving two women awaits Weinstein early next month.
