Harvey Weinstein Takes Credit for ‘Yellowstone’ in Prison Interview

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Harvey Weinstein became a symbol of widespread abuse in Hollywood. Despite often claiming he belonged to a different era – a claim that excused sexual assault – his actions ultimately sparked the #MeToo movement. This was thanks to the brave investigative work of Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor from the New York Times, which was later depicted in the film She Said (2022). Even after his initial downfall, Weinstein has remained in the news, recently commenting on Blake Lively’s lawsuit regarding her experiences with Justin Baldoni.

Harvey Weinstein recently spoke with Maer Roshan of The Hollywood Reporter from his prison cell at Rikers Island. The interview largely followed a familiar pattern: he insisted he did nothing wrong, repeatedly avoided taking responsibility, and even claimed credit for the success of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone. According to Weinstein, he was instrumental in getting Kevin Costner cast as the lead. “People don’t know this, but one of the last things I did was bring Taylor Sheridan to Yellowstone,” he said. “Sheridan wanted Robert Redford, but I told him, ‘You need to get Kevin Costner.’ And it became a massive hit. But then all of this happened [referring to the sexual abuse allegations], and people forgot.”


Paramount Network

Back in 2017, Paramount Network initially ordered the series created by Taylor Sheridan, listing The Weinstein Company and FX’s John and Art Linson as executive producers alongside Sheridan, who also served as the primary writer. However, Weinstein wasn’t the one who brought Sheridan onto the project—it was a show Sheridan had developed himself. Weinstein praised Sheridan’s writing in May 2017, but following the sexual assault allegations that October, Sheridan’s team worked to distance both his film Wind River (2017) and the new series from Weinstein. While Sheridan had already achieved success with films like Sicario (2015), Yellowstone’s popularity grew over time. Though Weinstein played a small role in the show’s beginnings, the expansive “Sheridan-verse” of spin-offs we see today is the result of years of effort and the dedication of many artists across multiple seasons.

Harvey Weinstein undeniably helped create some excellent films and worked with many talented people. However, his success came at a cost, as his behavior was deeply disrespectful. While we can’t erase his contributions to films like Pulp Fiction (1994), Scream (1996), and Good Will Hunting (1997), it’s likely uncomfortable to see his name associated with them. It’s important to continue acknowledging and criticizing his harmful actions within the industry. Hollywood has a history of abuse, but the growing number of survivors sharing their stories is making it harder for abusers to hide. For example, it took decades for Patricia Douglas’s story of abuse at a 1937 MGM party to surface, but thanks to a documentary, it finally did. Today, information spreads much faster, and a strong network of support helps victims come forward.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, support is available. You can contact the RAINN hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or get help online through their website.

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2026-03-10 22:17