Hollywood kingmaker Harvey Weinstein has had a meteoric fall from grace since dozens of women accused him of sexual assault and harassment.
Here are the key developments in his downfall.
– October 5 2017
The New York Times exposes allegations of sexual harassment against Weinstein from former colleagues including actress Ashley Judd.
The producer apologises, saying he realises he “has caused a lot of pain” and says he intends to take a “leave of absence” from his firm, The Weinstein Company (TWC). The following day, TWC’s board of directors says the majority of its members “strongly endorsed” his decision to step aside indefinitely.
– October 8 2017
TWC’s board of directors announces that Weinstein has been dismissed with immediate effect “in light of new information about misconduct”.
– October 10 2017
Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie become the latest Hollywood stars to accuse Weinstein of sexual harassment.
Meanwhile, three women allege in an article in The New Yorker that Weinstein had raped them.
Weinstein issues a statement through his spokeswoman, saying he “unequivocally” denies any allegations of non-consensual sex.
– October 11 2017
Weinstein’s wife, British fashion designer Georgina Chapman, announces she is leaving him.
– October 12 2017
Police in Britain and the US say they have opened investigations into Weinstein.
Merseyside Police say they received an allegation of sexual assault in the London area in the 1980s, and referred it to Scotland Yard.
From October 12 until October 28, UK police receive sexual assault allegations from seven women, for dates ranging from the 1980s to 2015.
– October 14 2017
Oscar hosts The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences vote to immediately expel Weinstein, making him only the second person in history to be turfed out. This comes three days after the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) suspends his membership.
– October 15 2017
The #MeToo movement is sparked by actress Alyssa Milano as a response to the floods of reports about Weinstein’s alleged abuse, and the alleged abuse by a number of other high-profile men in the industry.
Passing on a suggestion from a friend, Milano advises women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted to write “me too” in a tweet, to “give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem”.
If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet. pic.twitter.com/k2oeCiUf9n
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 15, 2017
– October 19 2017
The Los Angeles Police Department launches an investigation after an Italian actress and model claims Weinstein raped her in a hotel near Beverly Hills in 2013.
– October 27 2017
Weinstein sues his former studio to gain access to his emails that he believes contain information “exonerating” him from claims of sexual harassment and assault.
The disgraced movie mogul lodges the lawsuit against TWC, which he co-founded with his younger brother Bob Weinstein, to help defend himself against civil and criminal allegations.
– October 29 2017
Actresses Annabella Sciorra and Daryl Hannah make allegations about Weinstein, with Sopranos actress Sciorra alleging she was raped by the film producer in the early 1990s.
– November 3 2017
The New York Police Department (NYPD) says it is investigating a “credible” rape allegation against Weinstein by actress Paz de la Huerta.
Chief of detectives Robert Boyce says the NYPD is working with the attorney general to gather enough evidence before obtaining an arrest warrant for Weinstein.
– November 28 2017
Weinstein is sued under sex trafficking laws by an aspiring British actress who claims she was sexually assaulted by him in Cannes.
The lawsuit, lodged in the US, sees Kadian Noble allege Weinstein attacked her in the French city after allegedly grooming her in London with the prospect of a role in one of his films.
– December 13 2017
Hollywood star Salma Hayek alleges years of harassment from Weinstein, whom she calls a “monster”, including that he would turn up at her hotel room throughout the night and ask her to take a shower with him while working on the 2002 film Frida.
Hayek also alleges that at one point he threatened to kill her.
– December 14 2017
Weinstein denies Hayek’s allegations in a statement issued by his spokeswoman, saying that he “does not recall pressuring Salma to do a gratuitous sex scene with a female co-star and he was not there for the filming”.
– January 1 2018
It’s time to shift the balance in the workplace, from representing the few to representing us all. Sign the #TIMESUP solidarity letter and donate to the #TIMESUP Legal Defense Fund right here: https://t.co/GNhkSnWIDb pic.twitter.com/a5oi2Sbaam
— TIME'S UP (@TIMESUPNOW) January 1, 2018
The Time’s Up campaign – an initiative to fight sexual harassment – is launched by 300 women in Hollywood, including Judd, Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria and Meryl Streep.
The group unveils its mission with a full-page advert in The New York Times and also launches a website.
– January 8 2018
Awards season kicks off with the Golden Globes, where there is a heavy focus on the Time’s Up campaign and the Hollywood sexual harassment scandal.
The majority of stars wear black in solidarity with victims of sexual assault, while many of the speeches and commentary at the event are geared towards the events of the past few months.
Host Seth Meyers tells the audience: “Harvey Weinstein isn’t here tonight because I’ve heard rumours he’s crazy and difficult to work with – but don’t worry, he will be back in 20 years when he becomes the first person booed during the In Memoriam.”
– January 15 2018
Judd, who was one of the first women to speak out against Weinstein, says she believes she was “blackballed” by him and that he sabotaged her career.
– February 2 2018
Bafta announces it has formally terminated Weinstein’s membership
– February 3 2018
British police investigating Weinstein confirm they have received further allegations of sexual assault, bringing the total number of women who have reported the disgraced movie mogul to police in the UK to nine.
On the same day, Kill Bill star Uma Thurman alleges Weinstein assaulted her in a London hotel room around the time of the release of Pulp Fiction in 1994.
She also recalls a second incident in which it is alleged he threatened to derail her career.
– February 12 2018
New York’s attorney general files a lawsuit against Weinstein and TWC following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
– February 20 2018
The Bafta awards red carpet is awash with black as stars of film, TV and stage showed their support for Time’s Up. Host Joanna Lumley opens with a speech about the suffragettes and the “powerful Time’s Up movement”.
– February 23 2018
Weinstein apologises for citing Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence in an attempt to get a class action lawsuit against him dismissed.
Lawrence hits back, calling him a “predator” after Weinstein’s lawyers used favourable quotes about him from the Hollywood stars.
Her comment follows Streep firing back at Weinstein, who said the action was “pathetic and exploitative” after his lawyers cited her saying she was never harassed by the producer in an attempt to shut the case down.
– February 28 2018
British police receive a further allegation of sexual assault, bringing the total number of women who have reported the disgraced movie mogul to police in the UK to 10.
– March 3 2018
At the 90th Academy Awards, host Jimmy Kimmel addresses the Weinstein scandal, saying: “We can’t let bad behaviour slide any more, the world is watching us.”
In the first Oscars following the scandal that rocked the industry, stars arrive at the red carpet wearing pins for the Time’s Up movement.
– May 10 2018
Ms Chapman speaks for the first time since leaving Weinstein, saying she was “so humiliated and so broken” after the allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against him.
The Marchesa fashion designer, who has two children with Weinstein, tells US Vogue she did not go out in public for five months following the first wave of accusations.
– May 25 2018
Weinstein arrives at a police precinct in New York amid reports he is to be charged by authorities in the United States.
He ignored reporters’ questions as he arrived at the New York Police Department’s 1st Precinct, wearing a black suit, white shirt and blue jumper and clutching three books.
He is charged with rape, a criminal sex act, sex abuse and sexual misconduct in charges concerning two women and smiles as he is escorted out of the building in handcuffs to be driven to court.
There he confirms he understands the charges and agrees to conditions for his release.
Posting a one million dollar cash bail, he agrees to wear an electronic monitor which tracks his movements 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The mogul also agrees to surrender his passport and to stay within the states of New York and Connecticut.
Weinstein intends to plead not guilty, his lawyer says.
– January 14 2019
Weinstein’s lawyer Benjamin Brafman, whose previous clients have included Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Jay-Z, quits the case.
– December 11 2019
A 25 million US dollar settlement to end nearly every sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against Weinstein and his former film studio’s board is tentatively agreed.
– January 6 2020
Weinstein’s trial begins and he arrives at the Manhattan court using a walking frame after needing surgery on his back.
Outside, actresses including Rose McGowan and Patricia Arquette held a press conference wearing red in protest.
– January 22 2020
Weinstein’s trial begins and opening statements are heard.
Donna Rotunno leads the defence, assisted by Damon Cheronis and Arthur Aidala.
– February 18 2020
Jurors begins their deliberations in Weinstein’s trial.
– February 24 2020
Weinstein is found guilty of a 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.