The movement, which focuses on holding high-profile men across multiple industries accountable for engaging in abusive behavior toward women, seems to hang in the balance as a new precedent is set. One might believe that #MeToo was a success, due to the high-profile convictions of R. Kelly, Harvey Weinstein, and Bill Cosby — though the latter’s conviction was overturned on a technicality. But, in reality, many of the men who were called out for allegations of abuse, some of them proven to be true, faced no real consequences. It should be said that the Depp verdict shouldn’t halt a movement that continues to expose injustice, nor should it deter people from believing women and men alike.
What actually happened to the men involved in MeToo?
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1. Chris Brown
Photo: DFree | Shutterstock For more than a decade, Chris Brown has been repeatedly accused of violence against women, with the most high-profile incident involving his former girlfriend Rihanna. Brown was accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend, actress Karrueche Tran, in 2017 which caused her to file a restraining order against him. In 2016, a woman accused Brown of threatening her with a gun inside his house. He was not convicted. Brown has also been accused of assaulting a woman at a club and a party. In 2019, Brown was accused of raping a woman in Paris. He was released without charges. His music career continues to flourish. He has released 9 studio albums, headlined world tours, and is set to begin his residency in Las Vegas on June 11.
2. Brett Kavanaugh
In October 2018, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to a lifetime position on the Supreme Court, despite being accused by multiple women of sexual assault. Christine Blasey Ford, a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University, told the Washington Post Kavanaugh had pinned her to a bed and tried to undress her when they were both teenagers in 1982. According to The Post: “While his friend watched, she said, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed on her back and groped her over her clothes, grinding his body against hers and clumsily attempting to pull off her one-piece bathing suit and the clothing she wore over it.” “When she tried to scream, she said, he put his hand over her mouth.” Kavanaugh continues to act as a Supreme Court Justice and has faced no repercussions except for a slight tarnish on his reputation.
3. Sylvester Stallone
Photo: Featureflash Photo Agency | Shutterstock According to NBC News, Sylvester Stallone was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 1987 and 1990. The victim alleged Stallone then sexually assaulted her in 1987 and 1990 and provided witnesses. Despite that, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office decided there was not enough evidence to prosecute. In 2001, a stripper filed a sexual assault suit against Stallone, claiming the actor “physically and sexually” abused her at a fitness center the previous year, according to ABC News. Since the allegations, Stallone has starred in over 30 movies and two documentaries, as well as working as a director, writer, and producer on a number of them.
4. James Franco
In 2018, James Franco was accused of sexually inappropriate behavior by five women, four of whom were his acting students, according to The Los Angeles Times. One of the alleged victims, Sarah Tither-Kaplan, told Good Morning America that Franco “abused his power by exploiting the non-celebrity women that he worked with under the guise of giving them opportunities.” Following the allegations, Franco directed a film that was released in 2019 and starred in two other movies released that same year.
5. Louis C.K.
Photo: Debby Wong | Shutterstock In 2017, The New York Times released a new report in which several women claim Louis C.K. used his power in the comedy world to sexually harass and intimidate them. RELATED: Grammy Wins For Marilyn Manson, Kanye West & Louis C.K. Are A Slap In The Face For Abuse Survivors Each woman shared similar situations in which the comedian either asked them to watch him masturbate or forced them to do so. Since the allegations, which C.K admitted were true, continued to tour for a year afterward, and even won a Grammy in 2022 for best comedy album.
6. Kevin Spacey
In 2017, Kevin Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple men, including actor Anthony Rapp, who alleged that Spacey made unwanted sexual advances toward him when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. In total, at least 15 men have voiced similar complaints against Spacey since Rapp first spoke out. Currently, Spacey has said he will “voluntarily appear” in U.K. courts over four counts of sexual assault charges and one charge of “causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.” Since the allegations, Spacey has starred in three movies and has two projects in post-production right now.
7. Ansel Elgort
Photo: Featureflash Photo Agency | Shutterstock In 2020, Ansel Elgort was accused of assaulting a woman in 2014, when she was reportedly 17 years old and he was 20. Elgort previously denied the assault allegations on Instagram, while admitting to a “brief, legal and entirely consensual relationship” that resulted in him ghosting his accuser, according to IndieWire. Since the allegation, Elgort went on to star in ‘West Side Story,’ which was filmed before the accusations were made but was only released in 2021. The film was nominated for multiple awards. He is currently starring in the HBO show ‘Tokyo Vice.’
8. Neil deGrasse Tyson
According to Vox, musician Tchiya Amet, alleged Neil deGrasse Tyson raped her when the two were graduate students at the University of Texas Austin in 1984. After Amet’s allegation attracted public attention in late 2018, three other women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct by Tyson. One of the alleged victims, Ashley Watson, said he had made unwanted advances toward her when she worked for him on the Fox/National Geographic show ‘Cosmos’ in 2018. The American Museum of Natural History in New York allowed Tyson to keep his job as director of the Hayden Planetarium, and he continues to host StarTalk.
9. Ed Westwick
Photo: Cubankite | Shutterstock The former star of ‘Gossip Girl’ was accused of rape by two women, and sexual assault by a third, according to the Guardian. Westwick was originally accused of rape by actor Kristina Cohen in November 2017. In a Facebook post, she claimed that after a dinner with her producer boyfriend and Westwick she fell asleep and woke to find him on top of her. Another woman, former actor Aurélie Wynn, then came forward and along with Cohen, provided witnesses. Since the allegations, Westwick was never criminally charged and has been in five projects since, and is currently filming a movie.
10. Dustin Hoffman
In 2017, several women accused Hoffman of sexual assault and harassment, at least one of whom was under 18 at the time. Hoffman initially apologized to several accusers, saying he felt “terribly,” and that the actions described were “not reflective of who I am.” His legal representatives have said subsequent allegations were “defamatory falsehoods.” Since the allegations, Hoffman has been in three films and is attached to a fourth. He was also supposed to return to Broadway in 2020. RELATED: How Do We Know When To Believe Abuse Claims? Understanding DARVO In Johnny Depp V. Amber Heard Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Keep up with her on Instagram and Twitter.
