Producer Scott Rudin will take a “step back” from his film and streaming projects, in addition to his Broadway productions following allegations of abusive workplace behavior. Rudin, whose upcoming films include: Netflix The Woman in the Window and A24’s The Humans, said he would “take the time to work on personal issues I should have had in a long time.”
The announcement comes as top talent and studios have become wary of collaborating with Rudin following a report in The Hollywood Reporter giving detailed versions of subordinate bullying. The new comment follows a Saturday mission in which Rudin said he was “withdrawing” from Broadway, his main force axis over the past decade. He has produced hits such as “The Book of Mormon” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
“When I commented over the weekend, I was focused on successfully reopening Broadway and not letting my previous behavior detract from everyone’s attempts to return,” Rudin said. ‘It’s clear to me that I have to take the same path in film and streaming. I am very sorry for the pain my behavior has caused, and I am taking this step with the commitment to grow and change. ”
It is not entirely clear what ‘retreat’ will entail, if Rudin will benefit from the projects and whether he will still be recognized as a producer.
“A lot has been written about my history of worrying interactions with colleagues, and I am very sorry for the pain my behavior has caused directly and indirectly to individuals,” Rudin said.
In the story of The Hollywood Reporter, Rudin is portrayed throwing things at employees, including a staple and baked potato, cheating on staff members and threatening to leave their career paychecks when they leave his job, and a computer monitor an assistant smashes him and takes him to the emergency room.
Rudin’s fall is a sign that the movement around the workplace culture that initially focused primarily on issues of sexual harassment has shifted to other forms of abusive behavior. This can have consequences for other executives and power players who have a reputation for disrespecting their staff.
Initially, actors, Broadway actors and filmmakers were largely silent about the allegations. That changed over the weekend. During a live Instagram conversation, Sutton Foster, who would be produced by Rudin in a revival of The Music Man, spoke on behalf of herself and her co-star Hugh Jackman. According to Foster, both actors hope to create an “incredible, safe, inclusive, loving, wonderful environment for everyone involved.”
Also on Sunday, the twin brother of former Rudin assistant Kevin Graham-Caso addressed the producer in an emotional social media speech, demanding a “real impact” from the entertainment industry on Rudin’s alleged behavior. Friends of the deceased assistant spoke to Variety Monday with emails from the time Graham-Caso’s brother claimed the time working under the producer was emotionally damaging.
Rudin is one of the most successful producers in entertainment history, with an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and 17 Tony Awards. His films include “No Country for Old Men”, “Lady Bird”, “The Firm” and “The Truman Show.” He was still active in the prestige space, and recently acquired the rights to the top-selling “Shuggie Bain”, but he no longer had the huge studio support he once enjoyed. Taste deviated from the pedigrees and comedies Rudin preferred in favor of superhero awards, although he continued to work regularly.