Amanda Seyfried Faces Backlash For 'Disturbing' Harvey Weinstein Comments

Amanda Seyfried and Adam Brody are facing significant backlash following controversial remarks about disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein during a recent interview.

When discussing their past knowledge of the Weinstein allegations during an episode of Variety's "Actors On Actors" series, Adam Brody and Amanda Seyfried faced a wave of criticism on social media for what many are calling "tone-deaf" and "disgusting" comments.

In the conversation, Seyfried admitted that she "didn't know the extent" of Weinstein's abuse until the allegations became public in 2017. Brody also claimed that while he knew Weinstein was "scary," he had "not heard anything sexual" about him before the public exposé.

The two appeared to downplay their awareness of the scandal, with Brody suggesting he didn't hear any rumors about Weinstein's sexual misconduct, mainly because the victims were women.

As Seyfried and Brody smiled and laughed during the conversation, many viewers were appalled by their seemingly lighthearted tone, mainly as they discussed their interactions with Weinstein.

Seyfried recalled being awestruck by Weinstein at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, when he agreed to attend the premiere of her film Lovelace. She described giving him a hug at the event, reenacting it on camera for Brody as she laughed about it.

"Yeah, I gave him the biggest hug," Seyfried said. "It was just the excitement with which the whole room was buzzing. And I gave him the biggest hug. I'm like, 'Harvey bought it.' And he was like the big papa of the room."

Fans were quick to criticize the actors for their reactions, especially as the conversation took place amid Weinstein's highly publicized rape and sexual assault retrial in New York City.

The retrial had just seen Weinstein convicted of sexually assaulting his former assistant. However, the jury declared a mistrial on one charge of rape and found him not guilty of forcing oral sex on a teenage model.

One user wrote in the comments section, "This is far from funny omg how repugnant of them," while another added, "The way they are both laughing during this story is quite disturbing."

Many also expressed disbelief at the actors' claims that they didn't know the full extent of Weinstein's actions, with some pointing out that the allegations had long been rumored and were considered an "open secret" in Hollywood.

"Jesus Christ, why on earth would she say that?" someone else said.

Others, however, had Seyfried's back.

"I think it's important to actually listen to her whole audio about this because she said that she had heard rumors, but she didn't know how bad it really was," someone said. "She just thought he was kind of like a dirty flirt, so I think it's important to listen to what she said about him and not take this quote too seriously."

"Love her honesty," another fan said.

"Finally, someone admits it," a third commented.

The interview took place amid the ongoing legal battles surrounding Weinstein, with the conversation inevitably revisiting the producer's history of abuse and its impact on Hollywood. The actors discussed how Weinstein had been a major player in the industry, setting a tone of fear and control, which they admitted contributed to the culture of silence and complicity.

Seyfried, in particular, noted that "Hollywood is a safer place now" since Weinstein's downfall, recognizing the fear he instilled in others as a key factor in enabling his behavior.

"He was like the dictator kind of," Seyfried added, acknowledging that people were "scared of him" and that "the right things didn't happen" when that fear prevailed.

Despite the lighthearted tone of their conversation, it's clear that the impact of the Weinstein scandal has far-reaching consequences. Seyfried and Brody's remarks, which many deemed insensitive, have only intensified the ongoing discussion about the abuse of power in Hollywood, the industry's complicity in enabling Weinstein's actions, and the culture of silence that kept his abuse under wraps for so long.