Morgan Freeman accused of sexual misconduct
By Marriska Fernandes on May 24, 2018 | 20 Comments
Following the Harvey Weinstein allegations last October, floodgates for victims of sexual abuse in Hollywood have opened, with Morgan Freeman the latest to be accused.
In a report published today (May 24) by CNN, eight women have accused the actor of sexual misconduct and harassment. In total, the outlet spoke to 16 women as part of the investigation: eight witnesses and eight claiming to be victims.
They described multiple incidents involving the actor throughout his career. While some were on set, others happened while he was promoting his movies, and at his production company, Revelations Entertainment.
A production assistant who was working on a film in the summer of 2015 alleges she was subjected to months of harassment, receiving unwelcome comments and touching. She said he touched her without permission, kept his hand on her lower back, and commented on her figure and clothing.
She said, one time Freeman “kept trying to lift up my skirt and asking if I was wearing underwear,” adding that he was never successful. “Alan [Arkin] made a comment telling him to stop. Morgan got freaked out and didn’t know what to say.”
CNN entertainment reporter Chloe Melas, who also co-authored the CNN article, said she was subjected to inappropriate behavior by Freeman when she interviewed him. Six months pregnant at the time, Melas said she was in a room with Freeman, his co-stars Alan Arkin and Michael Caine and several other people. She alleges that Morgan shook her hand, not letting go while repeatedly looking her up and down. He kept telling her, “I wish I was there.” She says he also said to her, “You are ripe.” Cameras were rolling and only recorded his remark: “Boy, do I wish I was there.”
A Revelations Entertainment manager told CNN that sometimes the actor would “come over to my desk to say hi and he’d just stand there and stare at me. He would stare at my breasts. If I ever passed him he would stare at me in an awkward way, would look me up and down, sometimes stopping and just staring. One time he stopped, looked me up and down as I walked into a room of people, and everyone burst out laughing. And I literally froze, feeling very uncomfortable and one of the people in the office said, ‘Don’t worry, that’s just Morgan.'”
In light of these allegations, Freeman responded: “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.”
A former male employee at Revelations recalled: “[He’d say] things like ‘I’d like to have an hour with her’ or make vulgar and sexual comments about women. He would be verbally inappropriate, and it was just shocking. You’re more shocked than anything because it’s hard to have the wherewithal to say to him ‘That’s inappropriate.’ You’re just like ‘Whoa.’ It’s hard because on any set, he is the most powerful person on it. It’s weird because you just don’t expect it from Morgan Freeman, someone who you respect.”
Freeman, who turns 81 next week (June 1), is one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars, with a career spanning five decades. He won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Million Dollar Baby, and has four other Oscar nominations.
In response to these allegations, Vancouver’s transit authority, TransLink, issued a statement about using his voice announcements in their ad campaign. “In light of information we’ve learned through news stories this morning of serious allegations against actor Morgan Freeman, TransLink has decided to pause his voice announcements as part of a VISA ad campaign on the transit system.” ~Marriska Fernandes
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This behaviour pretty much sums up 90% of the male population. File a hurt feelings report and get over it people. There are bigger problems in the world!
This is Terrible, as women do not use sex to get what they want !? Right !! It’s the guys fault ! Not the Army of whores he has to fend off right ! Just saying …….We know it l
Enough already! If there was actually a rape, then charge the person at the time. Otherwise, think of the times as they were 20, 30, 40 years ago. It was a different era. Quit vilifying every male out there. And how many of these people are now just speaking out to get their 15 minutes of infamy? I’ve had enough with all this bi******. Get on with your life and get a therapist to help you cope if that’s going to help you. Ruining peoples’ lives so long after you say something happened isn’t helpful to you or them. I would imagine that all the guys out there – and women – know to watch themselves after Weinstein anyway. Eyes are opened. MOVE ON!
p.s. I am a female with my share of nasty memories but I’m not out suing everyone because of it. The times were much different back then.
I agree all the way with you Penguin these people really need to get a life and a job
I agree all the way with you Penguin these people really need to get a life and a job
This has become way out of hand. Anyone can accuse anyone they don’t like of sexual harrassment. If they had a problem at the time, they should have reported it at the time. Everyone just jumps on the band wagon. If I reported everyone that looked at me inappropriately there’d be a lot of people in jail, lol. Unbelievable!
I just heard audio on the radio of him being really inappropriate with a female interviewer before the interview. Made my skin crawl. Just because we like an actor, it doesn’t mean he’s not a predator, folks.
And Dan, I feel sorry for the women, or as you call them, “whores” in your life. Treat people with respect. Even women. There just might be pervs out there preying on innocent women. But I guess you don’t think there are innocent women. Just whores.
Excuse me folks, just because something happened years ago does not mean the effect of that abuse has not carried through their lives, sometimes.es crippling effects. It is obvious by the comments that many think these women are after money rather than validation for the abuses they experienced. So my suggestion is stop shaming those who come fwd and maybe encourage them for their strength of coming forward. Abuse is abuse folks, no matter how soon or how long ago it happened.
Looking at someone is not abuse
Up and down or what ever mite be reckless eyeballing but thats all.
I love the lady’s and respect them well but most of the ones being harasted as they call it verbly dress in a way that make most people think they don’t care
Looking at someone may not be abuse, but trying to lift their skirt certainly IS. I have a great deal of respect for Freeman’s acting and career; however, that does not give him the right to humiliate the women around him.
Also, about charging the person at the time … if the woman who was harassed did not feel strong enough, or have the support, to bring charges at the time, maybe now she does. What if it was a different situation? What if a con artist fleeced an elderly man out of his life savings and at first he was too distraught to press charges, but five years later, with support from his grandchildren, wanted to bring charges. Would you say he shouldn’t because he didn’t bring charges at the time?
here were the problem lies their alot of people that like to lie and in the women case come out and say he did this he did that, sexual misconduct is a can of worms and it can define to many dumb things to be accuse of while even if innocent what has to be done to prove your not guilty, it really sad because the real events of sexual misconduct is lost as u dont who to believe in these cases, and just because eight women accuse Morgan Freeman doesn’t mean he did it, revenge is a evil and wicked motivation that people have as it happen to janitor at a school were three girl accuse him of sexual misconduct, he lost his wife,lost his job and was in jail for two years until the cops found out that the girls were lying but the damage was already done, so if your a women don’t believe the story until u found out to whole truth of the situation because u can fine out it can be a lie
The man is 81 years old. Why didn’t they something when it happen, we all answer to someone. If it bothered the women so much why didn’t they deal with it at the time. What are these women hoping for a big payday before he passes. Get on with you lives.
By the comments, there is still a long way to go. Here is the proof why these laws had to be made. I say, keep outing them all.
I am a woman of age 68 and if a man looks me over, it is a compliment to me, it is another thing if he rapes me, which is a crime. It doesn’t take much to set a man straight, right off the bat. In my younger yrs I was a looker, face and figure, but men knew where I stood on these matters, and if not, I let them know without a problem. Men have always be interested in women, so what’s the big deal? And, it has always frustrated me as a woman, that these magazines with half naked women posing in a provocatively way and then have articles about how men disrespected them by giving them ‘the look’ these women say of course, they are dressing like this for themselves. All this seems to me a double standard. You libers need to make up your minds. You need to do some research on men and women and what makes a man tick. If you have a husband what do you think is attractive to him? Of course you as a person, but it is also how you look with alluring clothing or lack of.
One of the things that disturbs me about the ‘Me Too’ movement is the potential for misuse by women with a grudge or who are just looking for their 15 minutes of fame. I’m not saying that what Morgan Freeman did was appropriate behaviour. It wasn’t. And he, like many men could use some education on how to behave with women. But while annoying, I do not think Morgans behaviour can be compared to that of Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby.
Remember him on The Electric Company.
Susan Threlkeld, I am in complete agreement with you!! While I feel for real victims, as I suffered abuse as a child myself, I get very bothered & disgusted by all these disgruntled fluff claims that water down the true problem that exists.
Having a bad date is NOT abuse, being complimented (however clumsily) is NOT abuse, being looked at, or over, is NOT abuse, someone saying something you do not agree with or do not like is NOT abuse.
If you did not walk away or speak up at the time, you must ask yourself why it was not important enough then, yet is now. On the rare occasion, there is a valid reason, but often not.
Being made feel uncomfortable sucks, but is not a crime. If someone makes you feel that way do something about it when it happens.
For years, there has been stories written about the ‘casting couch’ with hints of Hollywood moguls taking advantage of starlets.
The women who were wanting acting work heard of those stories too don’t kid yourself. Silence was a way of ensuring acting parts and outing someone back then would not have been taken seriously. Remember the 60’s and 70’s sexual revolution?
Plus, these woman had no power.
Their ‘bosses’ employed them or fired them…all the power was theirs. Sexual predators are narcissistic sociopaths who’s only concern is themselves and gratification by wielding power over another. Their biggest turn-on is the POWER. Strip them of that and they have no control of another anymore. I say, keep outing these predators but use common sense. Looking at someone a certain way is not abuse it’s just ignorant. Out those whose have actually physically and/or verbally abused.