Kevin Smith is well aware that you can’t erase the past. Instead, in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein accusations, Smith is looking for ways to positively impact the future.
The director recently took to his podcast Hollywood Babble-On and spoke candidly about recognizing that his career will always be linked by both of Harvey Weinstein’s companies — Miramax and The Weinstein Company.
Both companies played a heavy hand in producing some of Smith’s beloved cult-classic hits, including Clerks.
“My entire career is tied up with that man,” said Smith on the podcast according to EW. “I just wanted to make some f—ing movies, that’s it. That’s why I came, that’s why I made Clerks. And no f—ing movie is worth all this. Like my entire career, f—k it, take it. It’s wrapped up in something really f—ing horrible.”
From there, Smith went on to explain that he wasn’t looking for sympathy from his fans. Though Smith says he doesn’t blame himself, the director took personal responsibility for doing as many have done, and helping hoist Weinstein up like a hero, which in turn allowed the despicable behavior to continue.
“I had a dream and I made it, and I presented it to somebody, and they didn’t make me do something f—ing horrible,” continued Smith. “I feel like there are so many more people that we know of now, and maybe even more that were made to do horrible things to make their dreams come true and maybe didn’t even get to touch their dreams; this f—ing dude chased them away.”
Though Smith is well aware that he can’t go back and change the fact that Weinstein helped finance the films that put him on the map, the director is trying to make amends in his own ways.
During the episode, Smith announced that moving forward, he intends to donate all of his future residuals from Weinstein-connected projects to Women In Film, a non-profit organization which advocates for progress and gender parity in the industry.
In addition, Smith revealed that if in the event The Weinstein Co. goes belly-up and his films fail to make any more residuals, his plan is to donate $2,000 every month to Women In Film for the rest of his life.
“That feels like a start,” said Smith. “Hopefully that goes to the people that get to make sh— without having to deal with some f—ing animal saying, ‘Here’s the price.’”
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