Actress Rose McGowan is known for speaking her mind. Recently, she took to Twitter to criticize media mogul Oprah Winfrey, in a post that quickly went viral with thousands of shares and reactions from fans of both McGowan and Winfrey. McGowan leveraged her social media presence to highlight Oprah’s past connection to disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who McGowan has accused of sexually assaulting her.
The tweet in question has ignited significant debate, particularly among those who have long respected Oprah. McGowan’s revelations cast Oprah in a new light, challenging the public’s perception of the beloved figure, provided McGowan’s statements hold truth. Her post was blunt, expressing McGowan’s unfiltered thoughts about Oprah and her use of power over the years.
“I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of Oprah,” McGowan wrote. “I wish she were real, but she isn’t. From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmons’ victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain. She is as fake as they come. #lizard.”
McGowan’s post came about a year after Oprah stepped down as executive producer of Russell Simmons’ #MeToo documentary. Oprah cited her departure as a result of concerns that “there is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured, and it has become clear that the filmmakers and I are not aligned in that creative vision.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter at the time, Oprah clarified, “I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women. Their stories deserve to be told and heard.”
Despite Oprah’s past interactions with Weinstein, she claimed she was unaware of his predatory behavior. Oprah worked on the 2013 film, *The Butler*, which was distributed by Weinstein’s company. Following the exposure of Weinstein’s actions, Oprah admitted she had been “friendly with Harvey” but insisted she “didn’t know any of this was going on” and that she would have acted had she known.
“Everybody has a story, and so I think this is a watershed moment. If we make this just about Harvey Weinstein, then we will have lost this moment,” Oprah said.
Weinstein is currently serving a twenty-three-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault. He faces additional legal challenges as he was recently extradited to Los Angeles to answer for more alleged crimes.
McGowan has also been involved in the California Gavin Newsom recall election controversy. Conservative sources on Twitter claimed that Newsom’s wife approached McGowan, asking her to remain silent.
