Not long ago did news of rape allegations against Cosby surface, which were confirmed and tried. Now most recently, Morgan Freeman is being accused of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment by several women.
The American actor, producer, and acclaimed narrator is now seen in a different light than many have perceived in the past. The first accusation came from a young production assistant that he worked with on the set of “Going in Style.” She claimed that for several months, she would receive unwanted touching from Freeman and inappropriate comments on her figure and body. He would constantly touch her for prolonged periods of times, and there was even one time when he kept trying to lift up her skirt and asking if she was wearing underwear. He would try, and when she moved away, he would try again.
Subsequent allegations followed, not limited to that one set. Multiple women claimed similar stories to the first, in which he made comments about their bodies on numerous occasions. He would make women feel uncomfortable with his comments, and became too invested in their body and sexual life. Even outside of the sets, there is a time when he told author Janet Mock, “You got a dress halfway between your knee and your hips, and you sit down right across from me and you cross your legs.” On sets and in private, women reported that he said things similar to this, or even worse.
Instead of reporting these acts, in fear of losing their jobs or having their word against one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, some women tried to combat the alleged harassment on their own by changing the way they dressed when they knew he would be around. Anything that showed their breasts, their bottoms, their figure…. so basically not wearing clothes that are fitting and not being allowed to fully express themselves. The women, 8 to be exact, were silenced by an 80-year old man.
8 people were said to have witnessed the alleged conducts claimed by the victims of both harassment and various inappropriate behaviors. It allowed for evidence of a pattern between the stories of his behavior. Furthermore, 7 out of those 8 described the occurrences within the environment of Revelations Entertainment, which is an independent movie production company founded by Morgan Freeman himself.
He released a statement after this story broke stating, “Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy. I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent.
At least 2 organizations have decided to drop Morgan Freeman as a result, including Visa who suspended their marketing in which the actor is featured. As of now, Freeman’s Life Achievement Award, given by SAG-AFTRA is at risk of getting revoked. There is ongoing investigation as of now, but no sudden action has been taken.
