Film Producer Harvey Weinstein Hit By Sexual Harassment Allegations

Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is fighting back against a vicious New York Times exposé accusing him of decades of sexual harassment — including a shocking account from Ashley Judd!

Weinstein — who's spent decades as one of showbiz's most respected film producers — was accused in the article of several incidents of sexual harassment. The reporting began with Ashley recounting a breakfast meeting that left her asking herself: “How do I get out of the room as fast as possible without alienating Harvey Weinstein?”

The Oscar-winning producer (here with Demi Lovato) initially responded to the Times' article by announcing that he was taking a leave of absence from his studio. He also revealed that he had been working with therapists and attorney Lisa Bloom to change his behavior. But the producer is also blasting back against the Times coverage with a planned lawsuit.

Lisa Bloom had told reporters that Weinstein “denies many of the accusations [in the article] as patently false.” His attorney Charles Harder announced the lawsuit, saying the Times article "is saturated with false and defamatory statements about Harvey Weinstein," and "relies on mostly hearsay accounts and a faulty report, apparently stolen from an employee personnel file, which has been debunked by 9 different eyewitnesses."

Weinstein (seen here with Elizabeth Olsen) is also confronting the article's shocking claims by going public about recent attempts to change his life. "I realized some time ago that I needed to be a better person," said Weinstein in a statement, "and my interactions with the people I work with have changed."

Weinstein warned, however, that his leave of absence wouldn't silence his voice. After declaring remorse for his actions, the producer added that he'd be dedicating his time to political activism. "I am going to need a place to channel [my] anger," Weinstein said, "so I've decided that I'm going to give the NRA my full attention. I hope [NRA head] Wayne LaPierre will enjoy his retirement party."