Amid mounting anger over allegations of bullying, Broadway and Hollywood producer Scott Rudin struck his silence Saturday, saying he’s”profoundly sorry” and will resign from his theatre work
“Following a period of reflection, I have made the choice to resign from active involvement on our Broadway productions, effective immediately. My characters will be filled by other people in the Broadway community and in many of instances, by the roster of participants in place on these displays,” Rudin said in a statement.
In his announcement Saturday he didn’t deny the allegations.
“Much was written in my history of bothering connections with coworkers, and I am profoundly sorry for the pain that my behaviour caused to people, indirectly and directly. I’m taking steps I must have taken years past to tackle this behaviour,” he explained.
The revelations at The Hollywood Reporter also motivated the actors’ unions SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 to come together condemn illegal harassment and harassment that produces a poisonous work surroundings for amusement workers.
The revelations also motivated Tony Award-winner Karen Olivo to pull from returning to”Moulin Rouge! The ” after it reopens. Additionally, there are plans for a demonstration March on Broadway on Wednesday, with stops in Rudin’s office in addition to the Winter Garden Theatre, where Rudin is generating the Broadway revival of”The Music Man.” There is also an effort to convince Actors’ Equity Association to include Rudin to a Don’t Function listing.
It was unclear whether Rudin would also resign from generating movies, which contains the forthcoming”The People” and”The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
In his announcement, Rudin said the forthcoming reopening of Broadway following the pandemic shuttered theaters for at least a year. He explained he didn’t need to”disrupt” the job ahead.
“My ardent expectation and hope is that Broadway will reopen successfully quite soon, and the many gifted artists related to it will once more start to flourish and discuss their artistry with all the entire world. I don’t need any controversy connected with me to disrupt Broadway’s well deserved reunite, or namely, the yield of those 1,500 people working on those displays.”