Casey Affleck Makes Smartest Decision of His Life, Withdraws From Attending the Oscars
TMS has long been talking not only about Casey Affleck’s sexual harassment allegations, but about the lackluster way he and the rest of Hollywood (including his brother, Ben, and his surrogate brother, Matt Damon) have addressed or handled those allegations. As last year’s Best Actor winner at the Oscars, he was up to present the award to this year’s Best Actress, which rightfully had many people concerned in this moment of #MeToo. Thankfully, Affleck had the good sense to withdraw from the ceremony entirely.
According to Deadline Hollywood, Affleck has notified the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that he is not only withdrawing from presenting the Best Actress trophy, but he’s also not attending the ceremony at all. Apparently, “Affleck did not want to become a distraction from the focus that should be on the performances of the actresses in the category and that is why he made the proactive move.”
I agree that his presence would’ve been an unnecessary distraction, and that the only thing Affleck should’ve done is exactly what he’s doing here: have the decency to not place any woman that would have to come up and receive an award for career accomplishment in the position of receiving it from someone who allegedly harassed two of his female producers on a project.
However, Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. is clearly feeling real sympathy…