Actor hits out after Gilliam says anti-sexual violence harassment movement is creating ‘world of victims’

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Ellen Barkin has hit out at Terry Gilliam after leading criticism of the director and former Monty Python member’s “mob rule” comments on the #MeToo campaign.

Barkin, who acted in Gilliam’s 1998 movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, stated: “My hard won advice: never get into an elevator alone with Terry Gilliam.”

Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) My hard won advice: never get into an elevator alone with terry gilliam

Gilliam had triggered a backlash after an interview in which he described #MeToo as creating “a world of victims” and that women who met up with Harvey Weinstein “knew what they were doing”. “Harvey opened the door for a few people, a night with Harvey – that’s the price you pay.”

He added: “It’s like when mob rule takes over, the mob is out there, they are carrying their torches and they are going to burn down Frankenstein’s castle. It’s crazy how simplified things are becoming.”

Gilliam’s comments sparked an immediate backlash, with the writer and director Judd Apatow tweeting that they were “idiotic and dangerous”, while Barkin posted: “Terry Gilliam, you talk too much.”

Gilliam’s representatives have not yet responded to a request for comment.