Breaking from tradition but bowing to the moment, Casey Affleck will not be attending this year’s Oscars, ending months of speculation over whether the Academy Award-winning actor would be a disruptive presence at the ceremony during a season dominated and defined by #MeToo.
Affleck won the Oscar last year for his performance in Manchester by the Sea, and by academy tradition, the best actress is handed her statuette by the previous year’s best actor winner. But following months of revelations of widespread sexual harassment, and a concerted effort by Hollywood women to rebalance the scales of power to end discrimination and abuse, many felt it would be inappropriate for Affleck to attend the ceremony.
Two women sued him for sexual harassment during the production of the 2010 film I’m Still Here, which Affleck directed and which starred Joaquin Phoenix. Affleck denied wrongdoing but settled with both women. Although the allegations continued to hang over him, they were not enough to derail his Oscars campaign.
In an interview in November 2016, he addressed the accusations, the lawsuit and whether he felt responsibility. “It was settled to the satisfaction of all. I was hurt and upset, I am sure all were, but I am over it,” he replied by email. “It was an unfortunate situation, mostly for the innocent bystanders of the families of those involved.”
In the current climate, Affleck decided his presence at the Academy Awards would be untenable, according to Deadline Hollywood, which broke news of his plans Thursday. He felt that the focus of the night should be on the women up for best actress and their performances, Deadline reported, and not on him.
A representative for Affleck confirmed that he would not be attending. – New York Times Service
