𝐃𝐨 𝐖𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲—𝐀𝐧 𝐇𝐑 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐡?

Do We Have a People Issue in the Entertainment Industry—An HR Issue, or Both?

The entertainment industry, with all its glamour and spectacle, has long been a mirror held up to society—revealing beauty, brilliance, and, at times, deep-seated systemic fault lines. In recent years, a critical question has emerged from the shadows of canceled projects, exposed scandals, and high-profile reckonings: Is Hollywood facing a people issue, an HR failure, or a convergence of both?

The answer, complex and uncomfortable, is: both.

The People Issue: Power, Culture, and Accountability

At its core, the entertainment industry is driven by personalities—directors, producers, performers, agents, and executives whose influence often eclipses oversight. In such a landscape, charisma can become currency, and loyalty can take on a dangerous form of silence. This is not simply a “bad actor” problem—this is a culture problem.

For decades, individuals like Harvey Weinstein, Russell Simmons, and Scott Rudin operated unchecked, buoyed by enablers, profit motives, and opaque networks of protection. Their behaviors weren’t anomalies; they were symptoms of a larger tolerance for abuse disguised as “creative genius” or “difficult genius.” People were not just turning a blind eye—they were sometimes required to.

This is the "people issue": when ego, ambition, and fear of losing opportunity suppress the collective will to speak up and demand better.

The HR Issue: Structural Failures, Silent Systems

Yet even when people dared to raise concerns, Human Resources—when it existed—often failed them. In the entertainment industry, HR is usually fragmented, underpowered, or absent. Production companies may operate independently, and freelance labor is the norm. Unions—while critical—can only go so far when dealing with toxic power dynamics that occur off the clock or off the record.

Traditional HR structures, as seen in other industries, often fail to function effectively in the entertainment world. Studios outsource productions. Sets are temporary. And many workers are disposable in the eyes of the system. This precarity means that HR functions, if not intentionally designed to protect people, instead default to protecting profit and liability.

In several cases, HR departments ignored complaints, discouraged reporting, or even retaliated against those who did report. The absence of accountability mechanisms in many corners of the industry allowed harm to metastasize.

This is the HR issue: when policies exist in name only, when structures are not in place to safeguard human dignity, and when legal compliance takes precedence over ethical action.

Where the Two Intersect: A Crisis of Trust

When you combine broken people systems with broken HR systems, what you get is a crisis of trust. Employees don’t feel safe. Leaders are not typically trained in trauma-informed leadership. The industry continues to reward behavior that generates profit—even if it causes harm. The solution?

We need a moral HR system rooted in justice, not just liability. We need courageous people who will lead not by personality but by principle. There must be external accountability, collective bargaining with teeth, and a redefinition of “talent management” to include safeguarding psychological safety—not just reputations.

Toward a Future of Integrity and Care

This moment is ripe for transformation. The industry has the resources, the talent, and the platform to lead by example. However, it must first be honest about its roots and then commit to replanting its values. Culture must be reshaped from the top, yes—but also from the middle and bottom, where everyday professionals hold quiet truths about what truly needs to change.

We cannot simply train out our bad behavior. We must design out the systems that protect it.

And we must be honest: a contract is not a covenant. Policy is not culture. Compliance is not care.

This is our work: to build not just a safer industry, but a braver one.

Appendix: Cited Cases of HR Failures in the Entertainment Industry

1. Harvey Weinstein (Miramax / The Weinstein Company). Numerous HR complaints were allegedly suppressed or settled quietly. Employees described a “culture of silence” and retaliation for those who spoke out. HR departments were reportedly aware but ineffective or complicit. Source: Ronan Farrow, Catch and Kill (2019)

2. Scott Rudin (Producer). Former employees described physical and emotional abuse. HR complaints were often ignored or not filed due to fear of retaliation. Some companies claimed no formal HR structure was in place to process grievances.Source: The Hollywood Reporter, April 2021

3. CBS / Les MoonvesHR at CBS was found to have dismissed or minimized multiple complaints of sexual misconduct by then-CEO Les Moonves, and executives even tried to cover up allegations.Source: New York Times, December 2018; NY Attorney General Report, 2021

4. Russell Simmons (Def Jam / Phat Farm). Multiple women accused Simmons of sexual misconduct. A culture of fear and silence, especially for women of color, was prevalent. HR departments were either inaccessible or unresponsive.Source: On the Record Documentary (2020)

5. Nickelodeon / Dan Schneider: Allegations of inappropriate behavior and a toxic work environment were documented. While HR had received multiple complaints, little was done publicly until years later. Source: Quiet on Set Documentary (Investigation Discovery, 2024)