The heinous acts of Harvey Weinstein are not news to anyone. Within the past year, dozens upon dozens of women have come forward accusing Weinstein of sexual misconduct; women nationwide have used the precedent of his firing as a source of strength to come forward with their stories of harassment at the hands of prominent men both inside of Hollywood and out. However, although claims against Weinstein first broke in October, a statement made by director Peter Jackson on December 14th, highlighted just how pervasive Weinstein’s sexual harassment was when it came to the careers of his victims.

Jackson, famous for his work directing, writing, and producing the Lord of the Rings trilogy, first recounted his knowledge of the breadth of Weinstein’s misconduct for the New Zealand publication Stuff. In the piece, he stated that Weinstein had encouraged him to cut ties with two actresses, Mira Sorvino and Ashley Judd. Unbeknownst to Jackson at the time, Judd and Sorvino were just two of the many actresses preyed upon by Weinstein; once the claims against Weinstein launched the #MeToo movement, it became clear to Jackson that the smear campaign that the former presented him with was nothing but a reaction against resistance to his advances.

Jackson’s work with Sorvino and Judd began in 1998, when he was interested in casting them both for roles in the Lord of the Rings saga. On Twitter, Judd recounted being sure of her place in the films; however, after Weinstein told Jackson that she and Sorvino were “a nightmare to work with” and that he should “avoid them at all costs,” both women were promptly removed from the casting list.

Could you imagine a different cast in Lord of the Rings? The barring of Judd and Sorvino from the franchise shows just how much influence Weinstein held in Hollywood— and why women would be afraid of him. The case is an example of the effect that Weinstein’s advances had on the careers of the women he took advantage of; just after the story broke, Sorvino tweeted that it was “confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed [her] career.”

Whilst researching Judd and Sorvino’s stories, I came across that of another prominent actress whose work had been impeded by Weinstein: Salma Hayek. Hayek also refused Weinstein’s advances, to which he responded with greater harassment during the making of Frida in 2002. Hayek alleges that, as the movie was distributed by Miramax, it was subject to Weinstein’s instruction of relentless rewrites and financing changes.

Such charges pale in comparison to his demand that Hayek participate in a sex scene with full-frontal nudity against her wishes...with Ashley Judd. Hayek agreed in an effort to finish her film, which she had produced and starred in; however, it was ultimately pushed on her in yet another power play by Weinstein.

My heart breaks for Hayek, Judd, and Sorvino, alongside the countless other women victimized by Weinstein. However, their strength in coming forward with their stories is to be applauded. The allegations against Weinstein, in conjunction with Jackson’s statement, shed light on the power structure at play in Hollywood and its ability to facilitate this kind of behavior.