Film academy expels Roman Polanski over conviction of sexual misconduct
Lawyer for Jewish director who fled the U.S. over claims of assault has said he will appeal the decision
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has expelled director Roman Polanski and actor Bill Cosby over their convictions for sexual crimes.
The prestigious organisation made the announcement on Thursday, two days after its board members voted on the issue, the BBC reported. In a statement, the academy said its board “has voted to expel actor Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski from its membership in accordance with the organisation’s Standards of Conduct.”
Polanski, an Oscar-winning director who is Jewish, fled the United States some four decades ago after being convicted of sexually assaulting an underage girl. Cosby was convicted of sexual assault last month.
Producer Harvey Weinstein was kicked out last year following numerous allegations of sexual assault.
Polanski’s attorney, Harland Braun, told Vanity Fair that his client will appeal the expulsion.
“We want due process,” Braun said. “That’s not asking too much of the academy, is it?”
Cosby’s wife, Camille, described his conviction as “mob justice, not real justice.”
“This tragedy must be undone not just for Bill Cosby, but for the country,” she said.
Polanski was arrested in 1977 for raping a 13-year-old Samantha Geimer during a photo shoot at actor Jack Nicholson’s home. He originally pleaded not guilty, but ultimately agreed to a deal for a single charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He fled the United States before he could be sentenced.
In 2003, Polanski won the Academy Award for best director for “The Pianist,” a Holocaust-themed production that is widely considered a masterpiece in its genre and beyond.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
