Casey Affleck To Be Barred From 2018 Oscars If Director Has His Say

“Manchester by the Sea” actor Casey Affleck could be barred from the 2018 Oscars, but that’s only if director Cameron Bossert gets his way. Bossert created a Change.org petition Tuesday where he beckoned Affleck be kicked out of the awards ceremony after the Harvey Weinstein allegations. The movie mogul was accused of sexually assaulting more than 90 women and raping at least 13.

“Last year, despite multiple sexual harassment claims against him, Casey Affleck won the Best Actor award for this role in ‘Manchester by the Sea.’ He had been accused of sexual harassment by two women who worked with him on a 2010 documentary,” Bossert wrote in his petition. “The women alleged that Affleck sent them threatening texts, demanded that they share a hotel room with him, and locked one of them out of her room so that he and Joaquin Phoenix could use it to have sex with two other women. One time, one of the women woke up to find Affleck in her bed with her.”

He continued: “But Affleck won the Oscar anyways, and according to tradition will present the Best Actress award this year. With so many credible accusations against him, the Academy should take action against Affleck and ban him from participating in the ceremony.”

“Presenting an award at the Oscars is an honor that Casey Affleck does not deserve,” Bossert finished. “Tell the Academy to do the right thing this year.”

Two women filed sexual harassment suits against Affleck in 2010 after working with him on “I’m Still Here.” According to one of the complaints, Affleck slipped into bed with one of the women without her consent. She was sleeping at the time. He was accused of “violently grabbed [her] arm in an effort to intimidate her into staying” when the other woman refused to let him stay in her hotel room, according to the complaint.

Affleck was sued for a total of $4.5 million by both women. The cases were settled outside of court in 2010. The amount of money they received was undisclosed.

Before winning an Oscar, Affleck denied the allegations to the New York Times in 2016. “It was settled to the satisfaction of all. I was hurt and upset — I am sure all were — but I am over it,” he wrote in an email. “It was an unfortunate situation — mostly for the innocent bystanders of the families of those involved.”

Affleck continued to deny the allegations to Variety last year. “People say whatever they want. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how you respond… I guess people think if you’re well-known, it’s perfectly fine to say anything you want. I don’t know why that is. But it shouldn’t be because everybody has families and lives,” he said.

People took noticed when Affleck won his 2017 Oscar and “Room” actress Brie Larson did not clap when she presented him with his Best Actor award.

“I think that whatever it was that I did onstage kind of spoke for itself,” she Vanity Fair in March. “I’ve said all that I need to say about that topic.”

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