The Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal is forever etched in our minds as a sombre reminder of how brutal Hollywood can be. Now, the industry is ready to tell the story of two talented reporters and their quest to bring down a dangerous man.
In October 2017, New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey exposed the media mogul for his gross abuse of power and sexual misconduct, which spanned decades. This landmark expose helped to propel the #MeToo movement into the public sphere, resulting in Weinsten’s arrest and 23-year prison sentence after being found guilty of rape.
Now, four years later, Brad Pitt is producing a film which will detail the shocking events, with Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan set to star as the two journalists. The Universal Pictures film is titled She Said, and is based on the New York Times best-seller She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Kantor and Twohey. The movie will be directed by Maria Schrader (who directed Unorthodox) and the script will be written by Oscar-winner Rebecca Lenkiewicz.
Mulligan is set to star as Towhey, while Kazan will play Kantor. Both actresses are in final negotiations, with filming slated to commence this summer. Mulligan is joining the film off the back of a critically-acclaimed performance In Promising Young Woman, while Kazan recently starred in HBO’s critically-acclaimed series The Plot Against America. They are undeniably the perfect people to play these roles.
Pitt’s production of the film makes a lot of sense, given his personal ties to the matter and public commentary on the Weinstein scandal. In a 2019 interview with CNN, he recalled confronting Weinstein after he made unwanted advances towards his then-fiancée Gwyneth Paltrow.
“At that moment, I was just a boy from the Ozarks on the playground, and that’s how we confronted with things. I just wanted to make sure nothing was going to happen further, because she [Paltrow] was going to do two films.”
“I think the interesting thing is that we, Hollywood specifically, but the workplace, men and women’s dynamics is being recalibrated,” Pitt continued. “Recalibrated in a very good way that is long overdue. And I do think that’s an important story to tell.”
While the film centres on Weinstein and his crimes, its predominant focus is on the all-female team of journalists who persevered against all odds. No amount of legal threats or intimidation could stop them from bringing this story to light, and their hard work ultimately brought Weinstein to justice.
There is currently no release date in place for She Said, but stay tuned for updates. If you haven’t yet read it, you can find Towhey and Kantor’s book here.
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