Scott Rudin Abuse Allegations Prompts Dozens of Celebs To Speak Out

Hollywood producer Scott Rudin, known for his involvement in major film titles like Lady Bird and The Social Network, has been accused of overseeing an abusive workplace in a devastating exposé.

The Hollywood Reporter this week published a report about how Scott Rudin Productions was a hellish and frightening place to work, with one former assistant alleging that Rudin threw a baked potato at his head in 2018.

One former employee who worked for Rudin from 2018 to 2019 said: "Every day was exhausting and horrific. Not even the way he abused me, but watching the way he abused the people around me who started to become my very close friends. You're spending 14 hours a day with the same people, enduring the same abuse. It became this collective bond with these people."

The article also claims that in 2012 Rudin "smashed an Apple computer monitor" on an assistant's hand after the individual "failed to get him a seat on a sold-out flight."

Rudin declined to provide a comment on the piece to THR. Newsweek has also reached out to his representatives for comment.

The horror stories shared in yesterday's exposé have prompted many Hollywood industry professionals to speak about Rudin on Twitter—some in support of the assistants who shared their stories and some to share their own experiences.

"This piece barely scratches the surface of Scott Rudin's abusive, racist, and sexist behavior," said Annapurna CEO Megan Ellison, who worked with Rudin on the Coen Brothers 2010 western remake of True Grit.

"Similarly to Harvey [Weinstein], too many are afraid to speak out," she added. "I support and applaud those who did. There's good reason to be afraid because he's vindictive and has no qualms about lying."

Film executive Franklin Leonard tweeted: "My respect and admiration to all those who go on the record in these types of stories, especially in this case @andrewccoles and @jeremyoharris."

While author Roxane Gay added: "I was wondering when something like this would come out about Scott Rudin. The stuff these guys get away with is astonishing."

Michael Schur, the mind behind TV shows The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (who goes by the name Ken Tremendous on Twitter) shared the THR article and remarked: "Man. It's always the guy you most expect because there was a famous movie about him like 30 years ago that detailed exactly how awful he is."

Screenwriter Alanna Bennet commented on how commonplace abusive workplaces can be in Hollywood.

"Abuse is so common in Hollywood that often people in workplaces are shocked when the abuse is only 'mild,'" she tweeted. "We have the reckon with the more overt monsters like Scott Rudin but look at this industry. So much is excused and enabled every day across a wide, terrible scale."

Anthony Rapp of Star Trek Discovery fame, tweeted: "The reckoning that's followed in the wake of #MeToo has to include addressing abuses beyond sexual crimes. I was wondering when, & whether, that would happen, & here we are w/this long-overdue piece. I applaud the courageous souls who've come forward."

TV writer Gennifer Hutinchson added: "Gosh, I wonder why people 'wash out' after working for someone like this??"

Meanwhile, another screenwriter, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, compared Rudin's notoriety for abusive behavior to Weinstein's reputation for sexually assaulting women.

"that rudin is a monster abuser on par with weinstein is common parlance in the business and has been for decades," he said. "that this is being reported as he continues to make bank for his corporate overlords is the real news here."

While Rose McGowan, a major voice in the MeToo movement, tweeted: "Tom Cruise to Trey Parker. They all know. Super producer Scott Rudin must be stopped. Enough. What is wrong with you Hollywood? You are putting your values in our minds. Your value system is sick. Stop poisoning us. End power abuse now."