When several Hollywood actresses, including Meryl Streep, pledged to wear black at the award functions in silent protest against the ongoing wave of sexual harassment in Hollywood, Rose McGowan lashed out on them, particularly at Streep for being silent.
However, Streep has now responded to McGowan’s comments in a statement provided to Fox News, in which the 68-year-old star explained that McGowan seemed to think Streep kept her mouth shut all these years, which she claims she couldn’t have done given that she was completely unaware of what was going on.
Her statement read, “It hurt to be attacked by Rose McGowan in banner headlines this weekend, but I want to let her know I did not know about Weinstein’s crimes, not in the 90s when he attacked her, or through subsequent decades when he proceeded to attack others. I wasn’t deliberately silent. I didn’t know. I don’t tacitly approve of rape. I didn’t know. I don’t like young women being assaulted. I didn’t know this was happening.”
Streep went on to explain that her relationship with Weinstein over the years was strictly business. She said he neither accosted nor harassed, and she never had her career threatened like so many others who have come forward with accusations and stories about his misconduct.
As for her relationship with McGowan, Streep claimed she gave the actress her home phone number and waited patiently for her to call so that they could clear up any misconceptions. However, she says McGowan has yet to reach out.
“I hoped that she would give me a hearing. She did not, but I hope she reads this. I am truly sorry she sees me as an adversary, because we are both, together with all the women in our business, standing in defiance of the same implacable foe: a status quo that wants so badly to return to the bad old days, the old ways where women were used, abused and refused entry into the decision-making, top levels of the industry. That’s where the cover-ups convene. Those rooms must be disinfected, and integrated before anything even begins to change.”
While McGowan has yet to comment on Streep’s response, she has walked back part of her statement against her and has deleted the Tweet in which she expressed her anger. However, the star apparently regrets her final line, in which she suggests Streep wear clothes from Marchesa.
Her latest Tweet read, “The Marchesa line was beneath me and I’m sorry for that. Seeing that picture of Alyssa Milano with GC has ignited something in me that I can’t quite articulate. There is no map for this road I’m on, I will f*** up. Peace be with you, go with Goddess.”
The Marchesa line was beneath me and I’m sorry for that. Seeing that picture of Alyssa Milano with GC has ignited something in me that I can’t quite articulate. There is no map for this road I’m on, I will fuck up. Peace be with you, go with Goddess.
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) December 18, 2017
Rose McGowan, who was one of the first women to bring forward the case against Harvey Weinstein, has previously lashed out at Alyssa Milano also for sympathizing with Georgina Chapman, the estranged wife of the Hollywood mogul.
