The Chicks accuse Harvey Weinstein of being 'abusive' to female director

Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines and Emily Robison of The Chicks. Photo / Getty Images

The Chicks have accused Harvey Weinstein of being "abusive" toward the directors of their movie, Shut Up and Sing.

The country pop trio - who were formerly known as Dixie Chicks before they changed their name in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests - have claimed the disgraced producer "screamed" at the female directors of their 2006 movie, and believe he was "getting off on belittling them".

Shut Up and Sing followed the backlash against the band after they criticised George W Bush's Iraq war in 2003, and the trio allege Weinstein - who produced the movie - yelled at the directors because he wanted the flick to have a happy ending, despite being told it felt false.

The Chicks musician Martie Maguire said: "He was standing, screaming at them. We were all dumbfounded."

Lead singer Natalie Maines described the encounter as "one of the scariest meetings we've ever had" and the source of her one regret in life.

She added: "I really wish I could be back in that room and go: 'Listen, mother*****, don't you talk to our directors like that.' I know first-hand how scary that man can be. He was definitely getting off on belittling them, because it was completely unnecessary and abusive."

And it wasn't just Weinstein - who is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence for sexual assault and third-degree rape - that The Chicks faced criticism from, as they claimed they were "used and abused" by the music industry.

Maguire explained: "I feel like we were used and abused by everybody who wanted to see us do well, but also make money off us. We were really run ragged."

The Not Ready to Make Nice hit makers - who also include Emily Strayer - were banned from the radio following their comments about the Iraq war, but they don't believe their musical future was "stolen" from them, because they knew they were doing the right thing.

Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Maines said: "There are no complaints. It is unfortunate when you get banned from the radio, but you don't really care about the actual ban. It's more that it's wrong! It was unfortunate to learn that there was that sort of hatred. But we had our ego cups very filled. We weren't grasping and desperate."