Emma Thompson has revealed she quit an animated project because the company making it had hired John Lasseter.
Lasseter was recruited to head Skydance Animation following his departure from Pixar in the wake of claims he sexually harassed female colleagues.
In a letter, Thompson questioned the studio “hiring someone with Mr Lasseter’s pattern of misconduct”.
The actress had been due to voice a character in Luck, a comedy about how luck affects our daily lives.
“If a man has been touching women inappropriately for decades, why would a woman want to work for him if the only reason he’s not touching them inappropriately now is that it says in his contract that he must behave ‘professionally’?” Thompson wrote in a letter published by the Los Angeles Times.
Thompson then referenced past allegations made against Lasseter and questioned whether the respect he shows to his new female colleagues would be “anything other than an act he’s required to perform”.
“The message seems to be, ‘I’m learning to feel respect for women so please be patient while I work on it, It’s not easy’,” she added.
Melissa Silverstein, founder of Women and Hollywood which campaigns for gender equality and inclusion, said Thompson’s decision to leave Luck was “one of the most significant moments in the [#MeToo] movement.
I don't think I am overstating this, but this letter from Emma Thompson on her departure from Luck is one the most significant moments in this movement. pic.twitter.com/RXkr7FXOkL
— Melissa Silverstein (@melsil) February 26, 2019
She said her action was a “rallying cry” to others.
"This is more than an open letter — Thompson has issued a rallying cry."
"We hope others with power and privilege will join Thompson in speaking out about abuses of power and those who enable that toxic behavior." https://t.co/weQPhWssyY— Melissa Silverstein (@melsil) February 26, 2019
The organisers of the Time’s Up movement have also saluted her stance.
This is what it looks like to walk the walk. Thank you, Emma Thompson. #TIMESUP https://t.co/raJCNyCJou
— TIME'S UP (@TIMESUPNOW) February 26, 2019
When Lasseter’s hiring was first announced in early January, Skydance’s CEO David Ellison sent an internal memo to staff.
It said he had conducted an independent investigation into the accusations and was “confident” that his mistakes had been recognised.
Thompson officially withdrew from Luck a few weeks later.
Towards the end of her letter, the British actress said she regretted exiting the project because the film’s director, Alessandro Carloni, was “incredibly creative”.
“But I can only do what feels right during these difficult times of transition and collective consciousness raising,” she continued.
Thompson concluded that if people like herself did not “take this sort of stand, things are very unlikely to change.”
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the actress has been vocal about the harassment she has faced in the industry.