Scott Rudin, a theater and film producer who has won numerous awards for his work, said he was stepping down from Broadway after allegations that he was violent and abusive towards his staff members.
“A lot has been written about my history of disturbing interactions with colleagues, and I am very sorry for the pain my behavior has caused directly and indirectly to individuals,” he said in a statement on Saturday. “I am now taking steps I had to take years ago to address this behavior.”
Rudin, 62, said his departure would be immediate and that his roles in the upcoming Broadway productions would be filled by the “community and in a number of cases from the roster of contestants already existing on those shows.”
Several Broadway stars have asked the industry not to address Rudin’s alleged behavior.
In a five-minute Instagram video Wednesday, Tony Olivo winner of the Tony Award announced that she is not returning to ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical ”when performances resume and says she wants a” theater industry that matches my integrity. “
The Latina actress, who played Satine in the musical, calls the silence on Rudin ‘unacceptable’.
“Social justice is actually more important than the sparkling diamond,” Olivo said. “Building a better industry is more important than putting money in my pocket.”
Earlier this month, “On Your Feet!” Actor Mauricio Martinez said it was “discouraging to see most of the entertainment industry remain silent about a producer being exposed for abusing and sometimes physically assaulting his employees.”
“It’s almost as if assistants are worthless in your estimation, as long as you keep your dreams alive,” he tweeted on April 8.
Filmmaker Megan Ellison tweeted an article about Rudin written by The Hollywood Reporter, saying it “barely scratches the surface of Scott Rudin’s abusive, racist and sexist behavior.”
“Like Harvey, I’m too scared to talk,” says Ellison. tweeted on April 7th. “I support and applaud those who did it. There is good reason to be afraid because he is vindictive and has no problem lying.”
Rudin is a powerful producer with more than a dozen Tony Awards for his work on Broadway shows such as ‘The Book of Mormon’, ‘Hello, Dolly!’ and “Fences.” In Hollywood, he is behind hit movies, including ‘No Country for Old Men’, ‘Lady Bird’, ‘The Social Network’ and ‘Clueless’.
Broadway productions were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. In his statement, Rudin said he hopes the industry can reopen successfully soon and that the allegations against him do not want to interfere.
“My passionate hope and expectation is that Broadway will soon reopen successfully, and that the many talented artists associated with it will begin to flourish again and share their artistry with the world. I do not want any controversy associated with Broadway’s well-deserved return, or specifically the return of the 1500 people working on these shows, ”he said.
Following his announcement, the Actors’ Equity Association praised those who came forward over Rudin.
‘Since news reports about Scott Rudin appeared, we’ve had a lot of private conversations with our brother and sister and the Broadway League. “We have heard from hundreds of members that these allegations are inexcusable, and that everyone deserves a safe workplace, whether a union member or not,” reads a statement.
The association, which represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers, also called on the producer to exempt its staff from non-disclosure agreements.
“This is an important step in creating truly safe and harassment – free theater workplaces on Broadway and beyond,” he said.
