Amazon Suspends Entertainment Chief Roy Price--Update
October 12 2017 - 11:01PM
Dow Jones News
By Ben Fritz and Joe Flint
Amazon.com Inc. has suspended the head of its entertainment
studio, Roy Price, in the wake of allegations of mismanagement and
sexual harassment and criticism of his close business relationship
with movie producer Harvey Weinstein.
"Roy Price is on leave of absence effective immediately," said
Amazon spokesman Craig Berman. He didn't provide an explanation of
the move.
Mr. Price's suspension comes soon after a female producer went
public about a 2015 sexual-harassment complaint she made against
him and after actress Rose McGowan unleashed a storm of criticism
at the company for being in business with Mr. Weinstein, the former
Weinstein Co. co-chairman who was ousted over the weekend amid
numerous allegations of sexual harassment.
Isa Dick Hackett, a producer on the Amazon program "The Man in
the High Castle," said in an interview Thursday that Mr. Price made
crude remarks toward her in July 2015 while the two were on their
way to a party and then continued to make lewd suggestions to her
at the event.
Reached by phone, Mr. Price declined to comment.
Mr. Price allegedly boasted about his genitalia to her in a car
and later at the party whispered in her ear that they should engage
in a specific sex act, she said. Ms. Hackett first publicly accused
Mr. Price of such behavior to the Hollywood Reporter.
Ms. Hackett the next day after the 2015 incident reported it to
other executives at Amazon, and an outside investigator contacted
her as part of an inquiry, she said. Ms. Hackett said she never
received an explanation as to the results of the investigation.
In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, Ms. Hackett said, "it
would be wonderful if companies could lead by example by
establishing a zero-tolerance policy for harassment." She said she
was inspired by the women who came forward to speak out about Mr.
Weinstein and hoped that sharing her story "inspires others,
particularly those who cannot speak out for themselves."
Amazon is developing two television series that would be
co-productions with Weinstein Co. In addition, Weinstein Co.
earlier this year purchased a script written by Mr. Price's
fiancée, Lila Feinberg. The Amazon executive had previously
pressured staffers at his company to buy the script, before a
conflict-of-interest review caused the company to drop the project,
called "12 Parties," according to Amazon Studios employees.
Mr. Berman said Amazon is "reviewing our options for the
projects we have with the Weinstein Co."
Weinstein Co. executives didn't respond to questions about
whether they knew Ms. Feinberg was Mr. Price's fiancée when they
bought the project.
Ms. McGowan, who has been very vocal on Twitter about Mr.
Weinstein, who she has said raped her in 1997, on Thursday
criticized Amazon for being in business with Weinstein Co. and
implored Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos to cut ties with the
production company.
A spokeswoman for Harvey Weinstein said in a statement, "Any
allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr.
Weinstein."
Amazon Studios for months has been struggling with a host of
problems, including low viewership for some of its signature
programs, flagging employee morale, challenges shifting its
strategy and criticisms from top Hollywood talent.
David E. Kelley, the Emmy-winning creator of "Boston Legal" and
"Big Little Lies," who also created the Amazon series "Goliath,"
told The Wall Street Journal that Amazon's entertainment business
is "a bit of a 'Gong Show.'"
Shawn Ryan, the creator of "The Shield" who also worked on an
Amazon program, said the company's practices "put everything in
chaos" and aren't "artist friendly."
The suspension of Mr. Price is the latest fallout from the
Harvey Weinstein scandal that has preoccupied Hollywood for the
last several days. Since disclosures in the New York Times and New
Yorker of multiple allegations of sexual harassment and assault by
the movie mogul, other stars have come forward to share their own
stories or to distance themselves from Mr. Weinstein.
Albert Cheng, chief operating officer of Amazon Studios, will
run the division on an interim basis, said a person at the
company.
Amazon Studios is holding a town hall for employees Friday
morning to discuss Mr. Price's leave of absence, the person
said.
Write to Ben Fritz at ben.fritz@wsj.com and Joe Flint at
joe.flint@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 12, 2017 22:46 ET (02:46 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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