Freeman facing harassment claims
Multiple women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against Morgan Freeman, making the 80-year-old Oscar-winning “voice of God” icon the latest major Hollywood star to face the possibility of downfall in the #MeToo era.
The allegations by eight women come in a CNN investigative report, which describes multiple incidents involving the star of “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Million Dollar Baby.”
The incidents occurred on film sets, during press junkets and in the offices of his Revelations Entertainment production company. Freeman, also known for his voiceover work for Academy Award-winning documentaries “The Long Way Home” and “March of the Penguins,” behaved like a “creepy uncle” at his production company offices, according to amale former employee.
“One time I witnessed Morgan walk up to an intern and start massaging her shoulder,” the former male employee told CNN. “The intern got visibly red and wiggled out of his grasp, it was awkward.”
In a statement issued Thursday, Freeman apologized “to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected,” People reported. “Anyone who knows me or hasworkedwithme knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowinglymake anyone feel uneasy.”
The extensive CNNstory begins with the case of a young production assistant who said she endured months of harassment by Freeman during the filming of “Going in Style” in the summer of 2015.
In all, 16 people spoke to CNN about Freeman as part of its investigation.
Antioch native Lori McCreary, Freeman’s cofounder in his Revelations Entertainment company, also witnessed the alleged misconduct and was the subject of some of his demeaning comments, CNN reported.
Freeman and McCreary started the company in 1996 because he was frustrated by the lack of choice roles for black actors and because hewanted to focus on projects that explored serious themes.