Meryl Streep responds to Rose McGowan's criticism

Image: Rose McGowan
Actress Rose McGowan speaks at the inaugural Women's Convention in Detroit on Oct. 27, 2017. McGowan recently went public with her allegation that film company co-founder Harvey Weinstein raped her. Copyright Paul Sancya AP
By Euronews with NBC News
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Meryl Streep has responded to Rose McGowan's critical remarks against herself and other actresses who plan to protest sexual harassment at the Golden Globes.

LOS ANGELES — Meryl Streep has responded to Rose McGowan's critical remarks against herself and other actresses who plan to protest sexual harassment by wearing black to this year's Golden Globes.

McGowan called out Streep on Sunday for working with producer Harvey Weinstein despite his reputation as a sexual predator and condemned their form of protest.

Her since-deleted tweet said, "Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black @goldenglobes in a silent protest. YOUR SILENCE is THE problem. You'll accept a fake award breathlessly & affect no real chance. I despise your hypocrisy. Maybe you should all wear Marchesa."

Marchesa is a fashion line co-created by Weinstein's ex-wife, Georgina Chapman. McGowan later apologized for her comments about Marchesa and said, "There is no map for this road I'm on, I will f--- up."

"The Marchesa line was beneath me and I'm sorry for that," McGowan tweeted Monday afternoon. "Seeing that picture of Alyssa Milano with GC has ignited something in me that I can't quite articulate."

Streep said she "wasn't deliberately silent" in Weinstein's treatment of women in Hollywood because she didn't know it was happening.

Related:After Weinstein allegations, Rose McGowan emerges as major voice

"It hurt to be attacked by Rose McGowan in banner headlines this weekend, but I want to let her know I did not know about Weinstein's crimes, not in the 90s when he attacked her, or through subsequent decades when he proceeded to attack others," Streep said in a statement to the HuffPost. "I wasn't deliberately silent. I didn't know. I don't tacitly approve of rape. I didn't know. I don't like young women being assaulted. I didn't know this was happening."

Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual sexual encounters.

Streep went on to clarify that not everyone who worked with Weinstein knew the depth of accusations against him.

Image: Rose McGowan
Actress Rose McGowan speaks at the inaugural Women's Convention in Detroit on Oct. 27, 2017. McGowan recently went public with her allegation that film company co-founder Harvey Weinstein raped her. Paul SancyaAP

"Rose assumed and broadcast something untrue about me, and I wanted to let her know the truth," she continued. "Through friends who know her, I got my home phone number to her the minute I read the headlines. I sat by that phone all day yesterday and this morning, hoping to express both my deep respect for her and others' bravery in exposing the monsters among us, and my sympathy for the untold, ongoing pain she suffers. No one can bring back what entitled bosses like Bill O'Reilly, Roger Ailes, and HW took from the women who endured attacks on their bodies and their ability to make a living.. And I hoped that she would give me a hearing. She did not, but I hope she reads this."

Related:Rose McGowan Vows to Keep Fighting Sexual Misconduct in Hollywood

She continued, "I am truly sorry she sees me as an adversary, because we are both, together with all the women in our business, standing in defiance of the same implacable foe: a status quo that wants so badly to return to the bad old days, the old ways where women were used, abused and refused entry into the decision-making, top levels of the industry. That's where the cover-ups convene. Those rooms must be disinfected, and integrated, before anything even begins to change."

Amber Tamblyn previously responded to McGowan's tweet, calling for women to stand together. "I do not support any woman (or man) shaming or taunting the movements of other woman who are trying to create change. Telling us to wear Marchesa? This is beneath you, Rose," the actress wrote.

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