Casey Affleck Won't Present the Best Actress Award at the 2018 Oscars
Casey Affleck has withdrawn from being this year's presenter of the Best Actress Award at the Oscars. His decision to withdraw comes amid the sexual harassment allegations thrown against him.
On Thursday, a representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed that Casey would not attend this year's Academy Awards and would therefore not present the Best Actress Award. "We appreciate the decision to keep the focus on the show and on the great work of this year," said the representative.
Last year, Ben Affleck's brother brought home the Best Actor Award for his role in "Manchester by the Sea." Since the Best Actor winner from the previous year traditionally presents the Best Actress award the following year, Casey is supposed to be this year's Best Actress Award presenter. Now that Casey has confirmed his withdrawal, it remains to be seen who will take his place as the presenter.
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In 2010, two female crew members of his movie "I'm Still Here" sued him for alleged sexual harassment. The accusers, producer Amanda White and director of photography Magdalena Gorka, claimed that Casey harassed them while making the mockumentary, which he directed.
According to White, Affleck did not pay her salary after she had rejected his offer to spend the night in a hotel room with him. She claimed to endure "a nearly daily barrage of sexual comments, innuendo and unwelcome advances by crew members, within the presence and with the active encouragement of Affleck." Meanwhile, Gorka claimed Casey had once crawled into her bed while she was sleeping.
When the allegations against him resurfaced recently, Casey said in an interview that both parties were prohibited from commenting on the issue. "I believe that any kind of mistreatment of anyone for any reason is unacceptable and abhorrent, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect in the workplace and anywhere else," he said.
The 2018 Oscars will happen on March 4 in Los Angeles.
