Gayle King Says Russell Simmons Didn’t ‘Muzzle’ Oprah Winfrey Into Quitting #MeToo Docu: Nothing Can Be Further From The Case

Russell Simmons, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King

Gayle King Says Russell Simmons Didn’t ‘Muzzle’ Oprah Winfrey Into Quitting #MeToo Docu: Nothing Can Be Further From The Case

Gayle King is backing her BFF Oprah Winfrey.

It was previously reported that Oprah Winfrey parted ways with an upcoming documentary that features multiple women who have accused music industry icon Russell Simmons of sexual assault and harassment.

Oprah Winfrey made it clear that she still believes the women but suggested there were creative differences for the project, which will be featured at Sundance Film Festival later this month.

She said:

“First and foremost, I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women. Their stories deserve to be told and heard. In my opinion, there is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured and it has become clear that the filmmakers and I are not aligned in that creative vision.”

Oprah Winfrey

Now, Gayle King has spoken out, saying that Oprah wasn’t strong-armed into leaving the documentary.

“I know this was a very stressful and very difficult decision for her to take her name off because she knows that her taking her name off because, as you point out, Russell has done a very public and very private campaign to convince her, she knows that the message that sends is that maybe she was muzzled. Nothing can be further from the case.”

She clarified why Oprah felt the project was no longer a fit for her.

“She thought that the documentary needed to breathe a little more. She thought that it was important that it be put in context for the times because you know these allegations [are] from many years ago and now we’re here in 2020. Put it in context of the times of what was going on there at that time.”