Amid bullying allegations, Scott Rudin plans to resign from Broadway League
Apr 25, 2021
Washington [US], April 25 : Famed Hollywood producer Scott Rudin recently said that he plans to resign from the Broadway League as allegations that he bullied and manipulated staffers over the years continue to pile against him.
According to Fox News, Rudin has been accused of abusing his employees by multiple people claiming to have worked with him.
Earlier this month, Annapurna Pictures founder Megan Ellison described his behavior as "abusive, racist and sexist" after multiple people who worked with him claimed to The Hollywood Reporter that he physically and mentally abused people under his employ and wasn't shy about maliciously targeting the careers of up-and-coming producers who crossed him.
On Saturday, Rudin shared his plan to resign from the Broadway League in a written response he gave to the media outlet. The outlet published additional claims of his alleged abusive behavior towards assistants, staffers, interns, and even stars from past films he produced, including Rita Wilson, Adam Rapp and Sarah Ruhl.
The outlet reported that Rudin shared he was "profoundly sorry" for his behavior and said he intends to resign from the Broadway trade association.
He said, "I know apologizing is not, by any means, enough. In stepping back, I intend to work on my issues and do so fully aware that many will feel that this is too little and too late."
The Broadway League represents Broadway producers, theatre owners, and other industry leaders. Last week, Rudin had issued a statement sharing his plan to step back from his theater work.
Rudin said in a statement, "After a period of reflection, I've made the decision to step back from active participation on our Broadway productions, effective immediately. My roles will be filled by others from the Broadway community and in a number of cases, from the roster of participants already in place on those shows."
He further continued, "Much has been written about my history of troubling interactions with colleagues, and I am profoundly sorry for the pain my behavior caused to individuals, directly and indirectly. I am now taking steps that I should have taken years ago to address this behavior."
Rudin was set to produce 'The Music Man' featuring Hugh Jackman. In an interview this week, the actor spoke up about Rudin stepping down from the project.
Jackman said, "The most important voice we needed to hear from was Scott Rudin, he has now spoken up and stepped away from 'The Music Man.' I hope and pray this is a journey of healing for all the victims and the community."
He continued, "We are currently rebuilding the 'Music Man' team and are aspiring to create an environment that is not only safe but ensures that everyone is seen, heard and valued. This is something that is and has always been very important to me."
The revelations in The Hollywood Reporter also prompted the performers' unions SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity, and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 to come together to condemn illegal harassment and harassment that creates a toxic work environment for entertainment employees.
The revelations also prompted Tony Award-winner Karen Olivo to pull out of returning to 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' once it reopens.
As per Fox News, a protest march on Broadway also took place on Thursday. There's also a campaign to persuade the Actors' Equity Association to add Rudin to a Do Not Worklist.