Celebrities far and wide are taking to social media to comment on the guilty verdict handed down in Harvey Weinstein’s New York City trial on Monday.
After a pair of bombshell exposes rocked Hollywood and helped spark the #MeToo movement by revealing the depths of the now-disgraced movie mogul’s alleged behavior, he was finally held accountable in a court of law. After an emotionally wrought 18 day trial, a jury handed down its verdict following five days of deliberations, marking the most decisive victory for the #MeToo movement to date.
On Monday, a New York court found Weinstein guilty of criminal sex act for assaulting production assistant Mimi Haleyi at his apartment in 2006 and third-degree rape of a woman in 2013. The jury found him not guilty on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault, that could have resulted in a life sentence. Weinstein now faces a minimum of five years behind bars.
Because the man and his subsequent downfall had such a sweeping impact on Hollywood, many stars and celebrities took to social media to share their opinion on the verdict and to congratulate Weinstein’s accusers, specifically those who testified.
Ashley Judd, who was among the first to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct in a 2017 New York Times expose, quickly took to Twitter after the verdict came down.
"For the women who testified in this case, and walked through traumatic hell, you did a public service to girls and women everywhere, thank you.#ConvictWeinstein #Guilty," she wrote.
Rosanna Arquette, who detailed similar allegations in Ronan Farrow's 2017 piece in The New Yorker, also took to Twitter shortly after the verdict came down, writing: "Gratitude to the brave women who’ve testified and to the jury for seeing through the dirty tactics of the defense .we will change the laws in the future so that rape victims are heard and not discredited and so that it’s easier for people to report their rapes."
"Harvey Weinstein is now a convicted rapist. If there's a man who doesn't deserve bail, it's him," actress Padma Lakshmi wrote. "Here's hoping for consecutive sentences."
Actress Rosie Perez, who was a witness in the trial to corroborate actress Annabella Sciorra's claims that Weinstein raped her, wrote: "HARVEY WEINSTEIN HAS BEEN HANDCUFFED & TAKEN TO JAIL! GUTTED FOR MY DEAR FRIEND #ANNABELLASCIORRA WHO TOLD THE TRUTH! YET I CONGRATULATE HER & ALL WHO CAME FORWARD FOR THEIR BRAVERY. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH BUT SURVIVORS TAKE COURAGE! THIS IS STILL A GREAT WIN! CONGRATS JOAN ILLUZZI!"
"so grateful for the courage of all the victims who came forth to share their truth & for the amazing work of @ronanfarrow & the prosecution. we are only as sick as our secrets & this secret is out. #metoo #timesup #metoosoon #Harveyweinstein #WeinsteinTrial #harveyweinsteintrial," wrote actress Melinda Hill.
"Hearing #HarveyWeinstein ‘s lawyer describing his client’s reaction to his 2 Guilty Rape verdicts 'like a gentleman' speaks volumes. @RonanFarrow," wrote "Sex and the City" star Kim Cattrall.
Filmmaker Judd Apatow noted that the New York trial is just the first in what promises to be a lengthy legal battle for the disgraced movie mogul.
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"Don’t forget- Harvey Weinstein faces four more charges in Los Angeles. This is just the beginning of holding him accountable," he wrote.