Kevin Smith Donating Residuals from Weinstein-Made Movies to Women in Film
Kevin Smith‘s allegiance to Harvey Weinstein dissolved earlier this month amid reports that the now-disgraced movie mogul had sexually assaulted or harassed dozens of women in the industry over the years.
And on October 13th, the filmmaker decided to take action to show his solidarity for those who have suffered abuse – at the hands of Weinstein or otherwise.
“My entire career is tied up with this man,” Smith said during his Hollywood Babble-On podcast. “It’s been a weird fucking week. I just wanted to make some fucking movies, that’s it. That’s why I came, that’s why I made Clerks.”
Smith pledged to donate the residuals from his Weinstein-backed films to the nonprofit Women in Film, which “advocates for and advances the careers for women working in the screen industries.”
“No fucking movie is worth all this. Like, my entire career, fuck it, take it,” he continued. “It’s wrapped up in something really fucking horrible. I’m not looking for sympathy. I know it’s not my fault, but I didn’t fucking help. I sat out there talking about this man like he was a hero, like he was my friend, like he was my father and shit like that.”
Smith’s working relationship with Weinstein dates back to 1994, with his first flick, cult favorite Clerks, and has continued through other hits such as Mall Rats, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Zack and Miri Make a Porno. According to Smith, Weinstein even approached the filmmaker in recent months about making a Dogma 2, but Smith turned down the offer.
Earlier this month, following the headline-making news of Weinstein’s many alleged indiscretions, Smith took to Twitter to denounce the producer’s actions and express shame for not knowing or doing better.
“He financed the first 14 years of my career,” he wrote on October 9th. “And now I know while I was profiting, others were in terrible pain. It makes me feel ashamed.”
He financed the first 14 years of my career – and now I know while I was profiting, others were in terrible pain. It makes me feel ashamed. https://t.co/T0hInW7EqJ
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) October 9, 2017
A spokesperson for Women in Film told The Hollywood Reporter that Smith came up with the idea to donate his films’ residuals to the nonprofit org himself, and noted that the filmmaker and WIF will be figuring out logistics in the immediate future.