Oscars 2018: MeToo founder says Ryan Seacrest should not be interviewing on the red carpet

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey

Get our The Life Cinematic email for free

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

The founder of the MeToo movement says the American network E! should not send Ryan Seacrest to cover the Oscars 2018 red carpet.

“They really shouldn’t send him [to the Oscars],” Tarana Burke, who started the MeToo movement in the wake of multiple accusations against producer Harvey Weinstein, told Variety. “We shouldn’t have to make those choices of, ‘Do we or don’t we?’”

Seacrest has been of sexual misconduct on multiple occasions by former stylist Suzie Hardy, accusations the interviewer denies.

E! has said Seacrest will definitely be appearing on the Oscars red carpet, having interviewed celebrities at the event for eleven years running.

Hardy claims she lost her job at E! after telling the network’s HR department about the alleged incidents. They hired an independent investigator earlier this year to look into the incidents but found “insufficient evidence” to support Hardy’s accusations.

“This is not about his guilt or innocence,” Burke told the publication. “It’s about there being an accusation that’s alive, and until they sort of out, it’s really on E! News and shouldn’t be on us.

“It will let us know where they stand in terms of how respectful E! News is of this issue – and of women.”

The activist also told Variety that multiple actors had spoken openly with her about Weinstein. “I have heard from actresses who’ve said, ‘You don’t understand how strange it is that he’s not here because [Weinsten] was ever-present,’” she said. “They were expressing a sense of relief at not having to see him and not having to pretend anymore. It feels like the veil has lifted.”

Meanwhile, you can follow along with the latest from our Oscars on our liveblog. See the full list of nominees here and read our predictions here.