Adapted from a story by The Washington Post’s Travis M. Andrews.
However, the report detailed a “pattern of inappropriate behavior by Freeman on set, while promoting his movies and at his production company Revelations Entertainment.”
CNN’s investigation
The outlet spoke with 16 people for the piece: eight women who said they were subjected to such behavior from Freeman and eight who said they witnessed it. All of them spoke anonymously, except for CNN reporter Chloe Melas, who co-authored the piece. Melas said Freeman harassed her at a press junket, which is what prompted the investigation.
Melas said she encountered Freeman at a press junket for the 2017 movie “Going in Style” more than a year ago. She was six months pregnant at the time. She said Freeman shook her hand and didn’t let go for some time, while he looked her up and down and said, “You are ripe” along with several variations of “I wish I was there.”
Freeman’s accusers say he often made comments about women’s bodies and appearances in public and would look them up and down and stare at their breasts. Two women said Freeman subjected them to unwanted touching.
Issues at Revelations Entertainment
Furthermore, seven of the people CNN interviewed “described an environment at Revelations Entertainment that included allegations of harassment or inappropriate behavior by Freeman there.” The company allegedly did not have a formal human resources department at the time.
These allegations included Freeman publicly making demeaning comments to Lori McCreary, who co-founded Revelations Entertainment with the actor.
In 2016, McCreary and Freeman appeared on a Produced By Conference panel discussion before an audience of about 400, and Freeman described their first meeting. Freeman said, “She had on a dress cut to here,” later adding, “She doesn’t want to be thought of as a pretty face. She wants to be thought of as serious. But you can’t get away from the short dresses.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, McCreary did not visibly react to these comments.
The Washington Post has put in a request for comment to McCreary and Revelations Entertainment.
Freeman’s response
Freeman released a statement to The Washington Post that read, “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.”
Repercussions
He’s also been nominated for five Oscars, winning one for best supporting actor in 2005 for his role in “Million Dollar Baby.”
The Screen Actors Guild also presented him with its coveted lifetime achievement award at January’s annual SAG Awards — but the organization is now considering revoking it.
In addition, TransLink, Vancouver’s public transportation network, “has decided to pause his voice announcements as part of a VISA ad campaign on the transit system,” it said in a statement to The Post, adding that it “will be in touch with VISA to discuss further.”
