US filmmaker Peter Jackson has revealed that working with disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein on Lord of the Rings franchise was an “unpleasant experience”. According to Independent, Weinstein wanted to take the franchise away from Jackson and give to Quentin Tarantino. “What we got was a real bully, a very unpleasant experience. Purely because they had this mafia thuggery, and that’s no exaggeration. We ultimately left them and were happy to leave them. Me and Fran (Walsh, Jackson’s wife and co-writer) promised never to work with them again. I haven’t spoken with Harvey for 20 years,” Jackson said. When asked whether justice will be served in Weinstein’s case, the filmmaker said, “It’s up to the courts and the justice system to find out what’s true. If he’s done anything like what he’s been accused of justice should be brought, it’s black and white for me.” Weinstein, a heavyweight Hollywood producer, had a spectacular fall from grace after the New York Times and the New Yorker revealed that he harassed numerous women. After the report, many women from the industry, including Hollywood biggies such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Lupita Nyong’o opened up about facing harassment at the hands of the producer. Weinstein had allegedly convinced Jackson to blacklist Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino from his films. Both the women later revealed that they were harassed by the producer. Published in Daily Times, December 18th 2018.