Morgan Freeman Fights Back After Creepy Sexual Harassment Allegations
May 26 2018, Updated 8:56 p.m. ET
Morgan Freeman is still fighting back after being accused of sexually harassing eight women.
The previously esteemed Shawshank Redemption star, 80, has released a second statement saying he did NOT assault women -- but did go over the line with humorous comments to them.
"I am devastated that 80 years of my life is at risk of being undermined, in the blink of an eye, by Thursday’s media reports," Freeman said in his statement after news broke on the claims against him.
"All victims of assault and harassment deserve to be heard. And we need to listen to them. But it is not right to equate horrific incidents of sexual assault with misplaced compliments or humor."
Freeman then added in the new Friday statement, "I admit that I am someone who feels a need to try to make women--and men--feel appreciated and at ease around me. As a part of that, I would often try to joke with and compliment women, in what I thought was a light-hearted and humorous way."
The actor, who has also faced family tragedy, said of the allegations in his statement, "Clearly, I was not always coming across the way I intended. And that is why I apologized Thursday and will continue to apologize to anyone I might have upset, however unintentionally."
Freeman said, "I also want to be clear: I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false.”In interviews with CNN, women contended that Freeman made lewd comments about their appearance. He even allegedly lifted the skirts of some ladies!
RadarOnline.com learned at least 16 people (eight alleged victims, and eight witnesses) accused the star of making unwanted sexual advances towards women, on and off set.
A production assistant who worked with Freeman in 2015 claimed the actor would regularly rub her back against her will, and compliment her appearance. Once, she showed up to work wearing a skirt and he allegedly followed her around, constantly trying to lift it to see her underwear. Eventually, actor Alan Arkin told Freeman to stop, so he allegedly got freaked out left her alone.
A former senior member of Revelations Entertainment’s production staff claimed CEO Freeman regularly made comments about women’s bodies in the office. Female staffers even began wearing loose outfits when he was around to avoid his inappropriate remarks.
CNN entertainment reporter Chloe Melas — who co-wrote the publication’s explosive piece — alleged that Freeman made sexual comments towards her when she interviewed him less than a year ago at a film event. “You are ripe” he allegedly told her. She was six months pregnant at the time.
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