Morgan Freeman Issues An Apology After Sexual Harassment Claims

Sixteen individuals have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct and “inappropriate behavior” against actor Morgan Freeman. Eight women claim to be the victims of Freeman’s behavior, while the rest have witnessed various incidents. After CNN published a story about the accusations, Freeman issued an apology via a representative: “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.” In CNN’s report, one woman, described only as a “young assistant” working on Going In Style in 2015, claimed the 80-year-old “subjected her to unwanted touching and comments about her figure and clothing on a near-daily basis.” She described one incident in which Freeman allegedly “kept trying to lift up my skirt and asking if I was wearing underwear” until costar Alan Arkin stepped in. “Alan made a comment telling him to stop,” she said. “Morgan got freaked out and didn’t know what to say.” Reps for Arkin were unable to locate him and declined to comment. Another woman, described as “a senior member of the production staff” on the film Now You See Me, described how he “did comment on our bodies… We knew that if he was coming by … not to wear any top that would show our breasts, not to wear anything that would show our bottoms, meaning not wearing clothes that [were] fitted.” A similar alleged situation on the set of Discovery’s Through the Wormhole, produced and narrated by Freeman, was mentioned by a “female former employee” of Freeman’s production company Revelations Entertainment. She said he “looked me up and down” and asked, “How do you feel about sexual harassment?” In a separate incident, CNN entertainment reporter Chloe Melas, who coauthored the report on the allegations and was the only accuser who didn’t claim anonymity, claimed Freeman made inappropriate remarks to her during a press junket interview for Going In Style. She was pregnant at the time, and the actor, surrounded by his castmates, allegedly shook her hand and held on to it. During this time, he allegedly looked her up and down, and said “I wish I was there” and “You are ripe.” Melas reported the incident to her supervisor and, through CNN’s HR department, reached out to Warner Bros., which distributed Going In Style. As confirmed by a spokesperson for the studio to CNN, Melas was told that WB’s HR could not confirm the account because only one of Freeman’s remarks (“I wish I was there”) was recorded on camera, and the studio employees present apparently did not notice anything at the time. In addition to the previously mentioned individuals, former staffers at Revelations Entertainment said the work environment was “toxic” and included “unsolicited touching” and “sexual touching,” according to CNN. Revelations Entertainment cofounder Lori McCreary, who was allegedly subjected to Freeman’s remarks, was also accused of contributing to the environment. Morgan and McCreary are listed as executive producers of Madam Secretary, whose lead character Elizabeth McCord (Tea Leoni) revealed she would be running for president in the season finale.

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