E-commerce giant Amazon has suspended Roy Price, the head of Amazon Studios and Prime Video Global Content, after allegations of sexual harassment against him emerged recently.
"Roy Price is on leave of absence effective immediately," Amazon said on Thursday in a statement.
The news came a few hours after the Hollywood Reporter published an interview with Isa Dick Hackett, daughter of science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, who has worked as a producer on the series The Man in the High Castle and Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams.
Hackett said that after the producer Harvey Weinstein was found embroiled in numerous cases of sexual harassment and abuse, she felt compelled to talk about a "shocking and surreal" experience which she said she suffered in 2015 involving Price and which had come to light in August on the tech website The Information.
According to Hackett's account, Price repeatedly and persistently propositioned her as they travelled in a taxi after promoting a show at the San Diego Comic-Con and he continued to make sexual propositions at a party later.
The producer reported the incident to Amazon executives and an investigation began.
Price has worked in Amazon since 2004 and, as head of Amazon Studios, has been behind series such as Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle, Crisis in Six Scenes by Woody Allen or"Man in the High Castle, as well as films such as Manchester By The Sea.
Price's suspension came amid the scandals surrounding Weinstein, one of Hollywood's most powerful producers, who has been accused of sexual harassment and abuse by dozens of actresses and models.
Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mira Sorvino, Ashley Judd, Lea Seydoux and Asia Argento are among the women who have reported different incidents against Weinstein, with the allegations ranging from abusive sexual behaviour to rape.
