Rose McGowan has spoken out following the death of her former manager, Jill Messick.
Jill’s family confirmed that she took her own life on Wednesday, February 7.
The 50-year-old, who managed Rose during the time she was allegedly raped by Harvey Weinstein, struggled with depression and bipolar disorder, but her family have also claimed that the pressure of being involved in Rose’s highly publicised battle with Harvey was a potential trigger.
Taking to Instagram, Rose wrote, “For Jill: May your family find some measure of solace during this pain.”
“That one man could cause so much damage is astounding, but tragically true. The bad man did this to us both. May you find peace on the astral plane. May you find serenity with the stars.”
Jill found herself at the centre of Harvey Weinstein’s sex scandal when the disgraced producer released an email in which Jill claimed that Rose told her an encounter with Harvey was “consensual”, but that the actress later regretted the incident.
In a statement released earlier this week, Jill’s family said, “Seeing her name in headlines again and again, as part of one person’s attempt to gain more attention for her personal cause, along with Harvey’s desperate attempt to vindicate himself, was devastating. It broke Jill, who was just starting to get her life back on track.”
“She was the first person who stood up on Rose’s behalf, and alerted her bosses to the horrific experience which Rose suffered,” the statement continued.
“Twenty years ago, as a very junior person in a management company hierarchy, Jill exhibited her integrity in doing the right thing – she raised the red flag with the heads of her firm. In the face of inappropriate behavior, Jill handled the situation appropriately.”
