Harvey Weinstein has opened up about his life behind bars as he continues serving his prison sentence at New York’s Rikers Island.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the disgraced former Hollywood producer claimed he is constantly “under siege” from other inmates and revealed he was once punched in the face while waiting to use a phone.
Weinstein, who is currently awaiting a third retrial, said the incident happened when he asked another prisoner if he had finished his call.
“One time, while I was waiting to use the phone, I asked the guy in front of me if he was done. He got off and punched me hard in the face,” Weinstein said.
The former producer, who has been jailed since 2020, also spoke about the difficulties he faces in prison. He is now confined to a wheelchair due to several health problems, including myeloid leukemia and spinal stenosis.
Weinstein admitted he fears dying in prison, describing his treatment as “cold and heartless.”
“It’s incredible to have the life that I had and the things that I did for society and not have the leniency to deal with me in a kinder way,” he said, adding: “Whatever they think I did bad in my life, I didn’t get the death penalty.”
He also revealed that he has lost contact with two of his daughters despite trying to reconnect.
“They never respond. Their mother cut me off too. It’s been radio silence since the allegations started,” he said.
Weinstein explained that he still speaks daily with three of his children — including his eldest daughter, now 30 — as well as with his lawyers and a few friends.
“I speak to my lawyers and a few friends. It’s the only thing that keeps me sane,” he said.
He also described a violent attack in prison that left him badly injured.
“I fell on the floor bleeding everywhere. The police asked who did it, but I couldn’t say. You can’t be a rat — that’s the law of the jungle,” he said.
According to Weinstein, he spends most of his time alone in his cell.
“I’m in my cell about 23 hours a day. I don’t have any human contact other than the guards,” he said. “Sometimes I go out in the wheelchair for half an hour just to get some air. It’s too dangerous for me to be around other inmates.”
Weinstein was first arrested in May 2018 after more than 80 women accused him of sexual misconduct spanning decades in Hollywood.
Despite denying allegations of non-consensual sex, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison in March 2020. He later received an additional 16-year sentence after being convicted in Los Angeles on charges of sexual assault and rape.
However, in 2024, New York’s highest court overturned his 2020 conviction, ruling that he had not received a fair trial.
Last June, a New York jury found Weinstein guilty on one count of a criminal sexual act while acquitting him on another. Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on a rape charge involving actress Jessica Mann, resulting in a mistrial.
A retrial on that charge is expected to begin on April 14.
Weinstein will be represented by attorney Jacob Kaplan, who is also currently representing Luigi Mangione.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock
