#MeToo: Emma Thompson quits film after alleged sexual harasser is hired for the project

Emma Thompson has reportedly stepped down from her role in a film because an alleged sexual harasser was recruited for the project.

The Academy Award-winning actress was said to voice one of the characters in the film Luck, which will be produced by Skydance Animation. However, it seems she has stepped down after John Lasseter joined the production.

Lasseter, who is the former chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar, admitted to “missteps” and “unwanted hugs” in 2017. He took a six-month leave of absence at the time, before eventually leaving the company in 2018.

“I want to apologise…”

“I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the leader I am today compared to the mentor, advocate and champion I want to be,” Lasseter had said in a memo obtained by the Hollywood Reporter. “It’s been brought to my attention that I have made some of you feel disrespected or uncomfortable. That was never my intent.

“Everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected.”

“I especially want to apologise to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape, or form,” he said. “No matter how benign my intent, everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected.”

A year on – despite the allegations of misconduct against him – Lasseter was controversially confirmed as the new head of Skydance Animation.

Related: ‘Ick means no’: Emma Thompson wrote a
consent guide for her daughter

His appointment was, expectedly, met with criticism from the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements; to which the CEO of Skydance Media David Ellison said, “We are certain that John has learned valuable lessons and is ready to prove his capabilities as a leader and a colleague.”

Now, according to Variety, Emma Thompson has stepped down from her role in the film Luck because of it. The London-native has not yet made any formal announcement of her decision.

Photo: The Children’s Act (2017); FilmNation Entertainment and BBC Films