Earlier this week, Casey Affleck, the brother of Ben Affleck, was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film, Manchester by the Sea. However, a few weeks before the actor’s acceptance, reports surfaced of a 2010 lawsuit filed by two women alleging sexual harassment.
Although Affleck maintained his innocence, the suit was settled out of court.
While the Academy chose to look past the allegations, social media erupted in the wake of the actor’s victory. Several people, including a few celebrities, expressed their disappointment via Twitter.
“The only people who deserve better in this entire Casey Affleck situation are the women who have to see their assaulter win a fucking Oscar,” Jane Glorianas tweeted.
“Casey Affleck won Best Actor. Donald Trump is president. Tell me against how sexual assault charges can ‘ruin’ a man’s career,” Daniela Higuera said of the Oscar win.
“Brie Larson, who has been fighting against sexual assault, had to hand an award to, Casey Affleck, a sexual predator twice this year”
“Boys! BUY ur way out of trouble by settling out of court! Just do a good acting job, that’s all that matters! bc Art isn’t about humanity, right?” Constance Wu of Fresh off the Boat tweeted.
Two days after the criticized presentation, Affleck sat down with the Boston Globe to discuss the allegations, revealing that neither party is allowed to comment on the situation. As a result, those who have an opinion about the situation will never know what truly happened.
“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. “There’s really nothing I can do about it. Other than live my life the way I know I live it and to speak to what my own values are and how I try to live by them all the time.”
If you recall, a similar situation occurred prior to the release of Birth of a Nation. Reports surfaced of the director and star of the film, Nate Parker, being accused and acquitted of rape in college, sparking outrage on social media. In addition to reports of the rape, a transcript of a conversation between the defendant and the accuser was released amid the film’s promotion, followed by a report of the accuser’s 2012 suicide. Throughout the increased scrutiny of the movie and his character, which ultimately overshadowed the film’s chances of being nominated for an Academy Award, Parker maintained his innocence, amid the heavy social media backlash.
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