Hari Srinivasan:
Let's turn to the ongoing consequences and reactions to the history of Harvey Weinstein.
Yesterday, Weinstein resigned from the council of his production company after numerous revelations about sexual harassment and several charges of attack.
More than three dozen women said that Weinstein pursued them. While Weinstein admitted that he was inaccessible, he said that no one was attacking.
One of those women is Katherine Kendall. She was a 23-year-old actress who met Vainstein in 1993. She claims that he invited her to his apartment in New York, where, according to her, he took off his clothes and asked for massage.
When other actresses began to speak with their painful experience, she also became public with her own story.
She joins me now from Los -Angeles.
First, thank you for joining us.
And I do not want to worry about something sick for you, but you take a public position.
For people who do not know your story, what happened?
Katherine Kendall, actress/ photographer:
Well, I was, you know, a young actress, and I had an official meeting in the Miramax office earlier that day.
And then, at the end of the meeting, which, as I thought, went very well, he invited me to come to the shows. He said: “Welcome to the Miramax family. You know, come to the premiere, shows and so on. There is actually one day. Want to come? “
And I said: “Of course.”
And in the end, I was going to watch a movie with him. As a result, he was just a film, not a show, and the film “Red Rock West”. And, you know, this is true when I had the feeling that something does not go well.
And then, after the film, we went for several quarters. And he said that he needed to climb his apartment in order to get something, and I just will go with him very quickly? And I seemed to say “no”, and we went back and forth and forward for a minute. These were a kind of negotiations with him, trying to somehow stand on my basis, but then make sure that everything is in order.
I went to his apartment. Once there, we talked for a long time about art and films. And I felt that he treated me as an intellect.
And I felt that the meeting was very good, and it seemed to continue. I did not feel unsafe when I was there. And at some moment he got up to go to the bathroom. And he returned to the bathrobe and asked me to give him a massage.
And I was very inconvenient. And I was like, oh, no, no, it is inconvenient for me. And we went back and forth about this.
And then he returned to the bathroom again and returned this time completely naked. And, you know, it changed this for me too. It just took it to the next place. It was completely disoriented. And I was scared, you know? I was very scared.
And then it became a kind of game in a cat and mice, for example, how am I going to leave there?
And I am hard to understand that someone is trying to do with you when he is completely naked, and they …
Hari Srinivasan:
Yes.
Catherine Kendall:
You know, I have 105 pounds. He is a big man standing between me and the door.
And I mean, I felt very decisive as, I would definitely leave here. But I'm not – I'm not sure – I'm not sure what will happen here. You know, I had a lot.
And he said: well, if you do not give me a massage, will you at least show me your breasts? And it was simple – you know, it was, in general, an extremely humiliating experience for me.
And although I left, I felt that something was still -like something terrible, it just happened to me.
Hari Srinivasan:
You know, immediately, you told someone about this? Because you already said that you were ashamed …
Catherine Kendall:
I did.
Hari Srinivasan:
… even if you were a victim.
Catherine Kendall:
I did.
It is really interesting how this happens. And I think – you know, now I'm older, and I have worked a little on myself. And I found out that many people feel that way.
This is not – it was not only me. But only I feel that this is my fault, it should have happened only to me, something wrong with me, so often when someone is committing against you.
Hari Srinivasan:
What happened …
Catherine Kendall:
And I did. I told my mother.
And I told some good friends. But, you know, one of the things that happened was, I did not want them to tell anyone. You know, people wanted to help me, but they did not know how, and I did not want them to try too hard, because I did not want this not a reverse reaction.
I was scared. And I think that it is important to remember that we are actually not from the culture that supports women in a conversation about sexual harassment, in my experience, that is. And, you know, I just did not feel that I was about to get support …
Hari Srinivasan:
You know how long …
Catherine Kendall:
… in a wider picture.
Hari Srinivasan:
Yes.
How long did you feel it? Or, I think, what are the long -term wave effects here? Is this shocked in your confidence in your abilities?
Catherine Kendall:
I think this happened. I think this happened. I think this happened.
I think it made me feel, wow, you know, it was washing. He was not at all interested in what I had to say, or, you know, he did not see any talent or intelligence there. He all the time assessed the situation for something else.
And I think it was hurt. You know, I would like this not to be.
Hari Srinivasan:
Yes.
Catherine Kendall:
But he made so many films that I thought, were wonderful. And it was difficult when someone made an art that you love, and how do you remain attached to love their art, but feeling conflicting with them?
And, yes, I think this has long -term consequences. I think you removed it. And then, for me, I also realized that it returned when I see his name or see him personally. I would start to tremble again and again.
I mean, I would not have thought about him daily or something for many years, and then I would see him, and I would think, oh, I do not feel good. I have to leave here.
Hari Srinivasan:
Right.
Catherine Kendall:
You know, this would cause so many emotions.
And the very last woman was a woman in New York, an Italian model. I felt so furious when I saw what happened there, and that they seemed to have – the police had him, and then he left. And then she was dragged through the press like the one who, as you know, wanted to pay and so on.
Hari Srinivasan:
You know, after that your friend was, your friend wrote on Twitter: “At some point, all the women who were afraid to speak about Harvey Weinstein will have to hold hands and jump.” It was back in 2015.
And from your account on Twitter, you said: “agreed.”
It seemed that you had almost the opportunity to go forward.
What made you want to perform now? Is this a turning point in the industry?
Catherine Kendall:
This is a turning point. This is a turning point.
I thought about it so many times, and then I felt – there were times when I thought about it and said: well, I have nothing to lose, I will just do it. And then I thought, I – I still had no power or courage.
And I think that someone like Jody Cantor makes a story for New York Times, the fact that she thought this story was generally amazing and forced me to feel, wow, what would be done.
And I knew what she told me – I mean, they were looking for women with whom this happened because they had heard rumors for so long that it happened to many people. And she told me that other people are coming out.
And I thought, I can’t – when I watched Rose McGowen or any other actresses, I just – or Ashley Jadd – I just thought they look strong for me, and I do not want to be those who are silent.
Hari Srinivasan:
Well, Katherine Kendall …
Catherine Kendall:
I want to stand next to them.
Hari Srinivasan:
Katherine Kendall, thank you very much for talking to us.
And, I hope, there are other people who are authorized by you who go out.
Catherine Kendall:
I hope so. Thank you.
