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Brendan Fraser reflects on sexual assault experience
In a new interview with CBS News, Fraser was asked if the assault claims “derailed” his career. Fraser replied, “Well, yes, because there’s a system in place that is about power. And I had played by the rules up until that point. I felt like, OK, now, suddenly, I’ve been violated. And it has gone too far. And I will no longer abide this. It was causing me emotional distress, it was causing me personal distress.”
Fraser added that he was inspired to speak up because of the #MeToo movement, in which many of his friends and colleagues were also speaking out about their experiences with sexual harassment and assault.
Fraser said, “I saw so many of my friends and colleagues who, at that time, were bravely emerging to speak their truth to power [in the #MeToo movement]. And I had something to say, too.”
Despite the potential for earning a nomination for his leading role in the film The Whale, Fraser has said that he will not participate in the 2023 Golden Globes. The Whale is currently considered an Oscars frontrunner.
Fraser is making a Hollywood comeback in The Whale, in which he portrays an obese and reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter. Fraser, 54, has previously starred in a number of notable films, including The Mummy trilogy, George of the Jungle, and Crash.
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The allegations made by Fraser against Berk were widely reported at the time and sparked a debate about the treatment of victims of sexual assault in the entertainment industry.
Berk, who is now 87, served as the president of the HFPA from 1998 to 2002 and has been a member of the organization for over 50 years.
The HFPA is a non-profit organization composed of international journalists who cover the film and television industries. The organization is best known for hosting the annual Golden Globe Awards, which recognize excellence in film and television.
Fraser’s allegations against Berk were made in an interview with GQ magazine in 2018. In the interview, Fraser said that Berk grabbed his buttocks at a luncheon held by the HFPA in 2003.
Fraser also said that he felt intimidated by Berk and did not speak up at the time of the incident.
In response to Fraser’s allegations, Berk issued a statement in which he denied any wrongdoing and called Fraser’s account “a total fabrication.”
Berk also suggested that Fraser may have been motivated by resentment towards the HFPA, citing a dispute over a cancelled press conference for the film Looney Tunes: Back in Action.
The HFPA issued a statement in response to the allegations, saying that they were “deeply saddened” by Fraser’s account of the incident and apologized to him.
The organization also said that they would review their code of conduct and implement additional sexual harassment training for their members. It is unclear if any action was taken as a result of the review.