Hollywood producer Jill Messick, who was Rose McGowan's manager in 1997 at the time the actor alleges Harvey Weinstein raped her, took her own life on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

The family of Messick, age 50, released a statement on Thursday confirming that the studio head had committed suicide.

Messick's family revealed the executive had suffered privately from depression and at least one manic episode, in an essay that was intensely critical of Weinstein, McGowan and the press, saying their loved one 'became collateral damage in an already horrific story.'

'Words matter,' the statement read. 'Someone’s life may depend on it.'

This comes after the January 30 release of McGowan's book, Brave, which claims Messick did little to help her after she confided in her about the alleged attack by Weinstein.

Hollywood producer Jill Messick (pictured), who was Rose McGowan's manager in 1997 at the time the actor alleges Harvey Weinstein raped her, died by suicide on Wednesday

Messick, who her family said had battled depression over the years, was dragged into the spotlight in the midst of a public exchange between Weinstein's attorney, Ben Brafman, and McGowan.

Messick was the manager who set up McGowan's now-infamous meeting with Weinstein, at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997, where McGowan alleges Weinstein raped her.

When McGowan was previously asked if she told anyone about her alleged assault, specifically her manager, McGowan said: 'Yes, but she got a job with him for seven years right afterwards.'

That was a reference to Messick taking a job at Miramax as vice president for development, shortly after McGowan had discussed with her that 1997 meeting with Weinstein.

Messick's family said that she chose not to speak out following comments by McGowan, made publicly and included in her book, because she believed in the #MeToo movement, which the family only referred to as 'the movement.'

They said she didn't comment even though McGowan's personal battle resulted in Messick's misrepresentation.

'Now that Jill can no longer speak for herself, it’s time to set the record straight,' the statement read.

Rose McGowan speaks onstage during the NBCUniversal portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena on January 9

Harvey Weinstein is seen here in New York City on September 7

The family went on to say that having her name wrapped up in allegations of sexual misconduct against McGowan, allegedly perpetrated at the hands of Weinstein and by implication with her aid, was too much for Messick, who 'was just starting to get her life back on track' after suffering a manic episode five years ago.

'What makes Rose’s inaccurate accusations and insinuations against Jill ironic was that she was the first person who stood up on Rose’s behalf, and alerted her bosses to the horrific experience which Rose suffered,' the family added.

Messick's family added that seeing her photo in an international news story of such a nature was a reminder that 'the media is a fearsome tool which cannot be used indiscriminately or even inadvertently to create further victims.'

'There is a responsibility when using a platform to accurately expose criminals, predators, mistruths and misdeeds while protecting the actual truth of third parties,' the statement read.

Brafman, acting on behalf of Weinstein, chose to make public an email that Messick had sent to Weinstein, at Weinstein's request according, to the family statement.

Messick had sent the email months before the allegations of decades of sexual assault by the executive came to light, when they were first reported in October.

That email spoke to part of the circumstances surrounding some of the allegations of sexual assault that McGowan has lodged against Weinstein.

McGowan and Weinstein are seen here in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2007 at an awards ceremony

Messick is seen here with Paramount's Brady Grey in Los Angeles in 2007

DailyMail.com obtained that email on January 30, which included the following passage, written by Messick:

'When we [McGowan and Messick] met up the following day, she hesitantly told me of her own accord that during the meeting that night before she had gotten into a hot tub with Mr. Weinstein. She was very clear about the fact that getting into that hot tub was something that she did consensually and that in hindsight it was also something that she regretted having done.'

Brafman suggested what Messick wrote in her email about McGowan getting into the hot tub 'consensually' actually meant that Messick said any sex act that occurred at that time was also consensual.





But the email from Messick to Weinstein falls short of describing McGowan's interaction with Weinstein on that day as consensual sex, despite including some language that would suggest Messick believed McGowan had embellished her account of that meeting.

Lawyers from Addis-Wechsler & Associates also said that it was Messick who headed up settlement talks between McGowan and Weinstein, as they were asked by her to meet with the now-disgraced mogul, but the family refutes that statement.

Messick is seen here with family in a photo shared to social media

McGowan is seen out and about in Manhattan on February 1, near Weinstein's former office

The statement relayed a more detailed account of what Messick's family said had remained the producer's consistent story since 1997.

It read: 'In January 1997, Jill was an entry-level manager at Addis Wechsler. One of her first clients was Rose McGowan, and one of Jill’s first duties was to set up a breakfast meeting with Harvey Weinstein during the Sundance Film Festival. Following the meeting, Rose told Jill what had happened — that she made the decision to remove her clothes and get in the hot tub with him — a mistake which Rose immediately regretted. Rose never once used the word rape in that conversation.

'Despite this, Jill recognized that Harvey had done something untoward to Rose, if not illegal. She immediately went to her bosses, the partners of Addis Wechsler, to recount Rose’s story and to insist that they immediately address the situation. They told Jill that they would handle the situation.

'The ensuing arrangements between Rose and Harvey were then negotiated, completely without Jill’s knowledge. At that time, all Jill knew was that the matter was settled and that Rose continued making films with the Weinsteins. She never knew any details until recently, when Rose elected to make them public.'

Messick shared this photo with her family to social media on July 30, 2016

Neither McGowan or Weinstein have commented publicly on Messick's death, or the family's statement.

Neither could immediately be reached for comment by DailyMail.com.

Messick is survived by two children, Jackson and Ava, their father, Kevin Messick, her father, Michael, her brother, Jan, and her partner, Dan Schuck.

She attended Santa Barbara High School and later graduating with a degree in communications rrom the University of Southern California.

Messick was born on July 27, 1967.

Ready the full statement by her family, below.

The National Suicide Prevention line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-273-TALK.