Harvey Weinstein plans to call in for a Weinstein Company board meeting this month – despite being sacked.
The Hollywood producer was axed by the company – which he co-founded with his brother Bob Weinstein – after he was hit by a wave of sexual harassment claims against him by several stars, but he still wants to be part of the gathering on October 17.
Sources told The Blast that Harvey’s lawyer has sent a letter to Jeannine Tang, The Weinstein Company’s senior vice-president of business and legal affairs, indicating the movie mogul is planning to call in for the discussion because he remains one of the organisation’s largest shareholders.
Harvey is currently in rehab in Arizona so is not expected to attend the meeting in person but has his mobile phone so still wants to conduct business during his treatment.
He is said to be keen to receive a quick response to the letter acknowledging that he has given notice he will be phoning in for the meeting.
This comes after it was reported AI International Holdings, one of The Weinstein Company’s film financiers, wants to pull out of a $45 million loan made to the organisation following Harvey’s dismissal.
AI said in a letter to the company and their lawyers at O’Melveny & Myers that "the dismissal of Harvey Weinstein from his position as co-chairman" amounts to a "material adverse change", which is said to enable them to demand immediate repayment of the loan.
Harvey was given his marching orders last weekend following the allegations of sexual misconduct.
The Weinstein Company said in a statement: "In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company – Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar – have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately."
Since his firing, Harvey’s wife of 10 years, Georgina Chapman, has left him, and several other stars have made misconduct claims against him, including Kate Beckinsale and Cara Delevingne.