“Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my film career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offenses which are, of course, horrifying,” Dench told Newsweek at the time. “I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out.”
But while Dench has continued to show her support for Weinstein’s victims who have come forward, she has also continued to champion Weinstein’s work in Hollywood in the years since his allegations sparked the #MeToo movement, telling The Guardian in 2021 that her experience with the producer was not “tainted” by his crimes.
“I worked a lot for Harvey, a huge amount,” she said at the time. “He was always completely charming. Perhaps I was lucky, but that’s all I know. I feel very acutely for the people who weren’t so lucky.”
In working with Weinstein on several movies like Shakespeare in Love and Philomena, she emphasized she never thought he’d been a part of any misconduct.
“I knew nothing untoward about him at all,” she added. “And nor was I warned. So of course I can judge him. But I never experienced that other side of him at all.”
