Jane Campion says Harvey Weinstein 'did some horrific things' while also doing 'great things for the arts'

Sharareh DruryFri, June 12, 2026 at 9:32 PM UTC

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Jane Campion, Harvey WeinsteinCredit: Michael Kovac/Getty; Steven Hirsch-Pool/GettyKey Points -

Jane Campion said Harvey Weinstein did "great things for the arts" while reflecting on his help for her 1993 film The Piano.

Weinstein aided in the awards season campaign for the film, which won three Oscars in 1994.

The disgraced producer has been accused of sexual abuse and misconduct by over 100 women including Ashley Judd, Angelina Jolie, Rose McGowan, and Salma Hayek.

Jane Campion is sharing a "disturbing" belief she has about disgraced producer and convicted sex offenderHarvey Weinstein.

While reflecting on her 1993 drama The Piano in an interview withVariety, the Oscar-winning director shared how Weinstein aided in the film's awards season success. At the time of its release, Weinstein was the head of distribution company Miramax, which acquired the rights for Campion's film. Following Weinstein's forceful awards campaign for the film, The Piano won three Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay for Campion.

"Can I say one thing that's going to be very disturbing? Harvey Weinstein, as we know, did some horrific things, but he also did some great things for the arts and for getting audiences," Campion told the outlet.

"He was bold in that way," she continued. "He loved films. I have to admit, [the marketing strategy] was his vision."

Weinstein is currently incarcerated at the ⁠Rikers Island jail complex in New York after he was accused of sexual conduct by nearly 100 women and subsequently convicted on multiple rape charges.

1993's 'The Piano'Credit: Miramax/Courtesy Everett

Campion, who made history in 2022 by becoming the third woman ever to win Best Director at the Academy Awards, also commented on whether conditions have improved for women in the industry, telling the outlet, "I don't know any more than you."

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"It feels there is a really big price to pay for the #MeToo movement," she added. "Abortion, for example, being withdrawn in America. And the sense that the sort of patriarchy is really wanting to stretch back their ground, you know? That's my sense."

"The positive, however, is that women now make money in a way that they didn't use to," Campion said. "They have their profession, they have their money and they want films that talk to them, not just Marvel movies. They want their own cinema."

Jane Campion attends the 72nd Taormina Film Festival 2026 opening red carpetCredit: Daniele Venturelli/Getty

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Campion noted she's seen shifts in representation when it comes to television and online content.

"In this way, those women are very powerful and they change the conditions for us," Campion said. "It has given many more female directors opportunities, and that's not going away, unless they say you have to stay home, look after the children or something. Vote? No. Let's take that vote away."

on Entertainment Weekly

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