Scott Rudin
Scott Rudin (born July 14, 1958)[1] is an American film, television and theatre producer. His films include the Academy Award-winning Best Picture No Country for Old Men, as well as Uncut Gems, Lady Bird, Fences, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, School of Rock, Zoolander, The Truman Show, Clueless, The Addams Family, and eight Wes Anderson films. On Broadway, he has won 17 Tony Awards for shows such as The Book of Mormon, Hello, Dolly!, The Humans, A View from the Bridge, Fences and Passion.[2]
He is one of nineteen people who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT).[3][4]
In 2021, Rudin stepped back from his Broadway, film and streaming projects following The Hollywood Reporter allegations of abusive behavior towards his employees;[5][6][7] Rudin's name was subsequently removed from a number of upcoming films,[8] and Rudin's business relationship with the studio A24 was terminated.[9]
Misconduct allegations[edit]
Rudin has been called "the most feared man in town" (The Hollywood Reporter),[12] and notoriously hot-tempered.[42] Rudin acknowledged having "a temper" in a 2008 interview, but said he had "grown up".[43] Hugh Wilson admitted in a 2015 interview that he had negative experiences working with Rudin during the making of The First Wives Club.[44]
On April 7, 2021, Rudin was accused, by numerous employees speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, of demonstrating a long-standing pattern of abusive behavior towards his employees, including physical abuse, such as throwing objects at his assistants, and in one instance breaking an assistant's hand with a computer monitor.[6] In that article, he was also accused of having victims sign non-disparagement agreements and having the victims' film credits increased or retroactively decreased after quitting.[6]
On April 14, 2021, Karen Olivo announced that they would not return to Moulin Rouge! once it reopens in protest of the industry's silence on the allegations against Rudin. In an Instagram video, Olivo stated, "I want a theatre industry that matches my integrity."[45] As a result of the allegations, Sutton Foster, who was slated to star alongside Hugh Jackman in Rudin's upcoming Broadway revival of The Music Man, vowed to leave the production if Rudin did not "take a seat".[46] On April 17, 2021, the Actors' Equity Association called on Rudin to release employees from any ongoing nondisclosure agreements and for actions from employers, in order to create "truly safe and harassment-free theatrical workplaces on Broadway and beyond."[47] Members of the union have pushed for Rudin to be added to a Do Not Work list.[48]
On April 17, Rudin released a statement apologizing for "the pain my behavior caused to individuals, directly and indirectly" and said he would "step back" from active work on his Broadway productions.[49] On April 20, he announced that he would do the same for his "film and streaming" projects.[8]
On August 13, it was reported that Rudin was no longer an executive producer for the upcoming third season of What We Do in the Shadows.[50]
In a September 2021 interview with Vanity Fair, Aaron Sorkin was asked about Rudin being fired from To Kill a Mockingbird, after an 18-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and said, "I think Scott got what he deserves."[51]
Personal life[edit]
Rudin is married to John Barlow, who previously owned the Broadway communications firm Barlow-Hartman Public Relations.[55] In 2019, Rudin and Barlow purchased a three-storey Greek Revival-style home in New York's West Village neighborhood.[56]