A couple of weeks ago, superstar Hollywood producer Scott Rudin became the center of controversy after even more reports surfaced of his alleged horrible behavior with colleagues, including throwing items at people and verbally abusing them. For many, this echoed stories that have been told about Rudin for years now, with very little actually being done in response. However, it appears the reckoning has begun for Rudin, as the fallout from these reports is beginning to be seen.
According to Variety, A24 has severed its relationship with producer Scott Rudin, removing his name and participation from a series of high-profile films the studio has in production and/or development. Rudin has previously worked with A24 on award-winning films such as “Lady Bird” and “Uncut Gems,” so the idea that the studio is now not working with him again is a big deal, especially when you consider the names associated with the projects that he is departing.
The report claims that Rudin will no longer participate in the production of films such as Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which stars Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington. He’ll also no longer be attached to “The Humans,” from first-time director Stephen Karam and a cast that includes Richard Jenkins, Beanie Feldstein, Amy Schumer, and Steven Yeun. In addition, Rudin is departing Alex Garland’s new feature, “Men,” as well as the film “Red, White, and Water,” which stars Jennifer Lawrence. Lastly, A24 was in the middle of developing a film, “Shuggie Bain,” which will continue to be worked on but without Rudin’s involvement.
It took a couple of weeks for Rudin to respond to the disturbing allegations, and over the past couple of days, he finally broke his silence. He didn’t deny the accusations and initially said he was stepping away from his Broadway duties, as a producer of high-profile plays. However, most recently, he went on to say that the Broadway situation had led him to take a step back from everything else, as well.
“It’s clear to me I should take the same path in film and streaming,” he said. “I am profoundly sorry for the pain my behavior has caused and I take this step with a commitment to grow and change.”
It’s unclear how long of a sabbatical we can expect from Rudin. Obviously, this is a very different situation than what involved another producer, Harvey Weinstein, which led to him being convicted of rape. However, it’ll be interesting to see if Rudin’s days as a superstar producer are done or if he’ll be able to make a comeback after an extended leave.