Updates

VIDEO: Ben Affleck in trouble for alleged sexual harassment on camera

Via

News Desk A

Updated on June 23, 2021

Comment

See more articles on:

get top stories via email

Anne-Marie Losique claims that an out-of-context interview she gave with Ben Affleck 13 years ago is being unjustly exploited against the Batman actor.

Canadian TV personality Anne-Marie Losique defended Ben Affleck’s behavior in an unearthed 2004 interview, telling The Hollywood Reporter that the actor “never touched me in any improper way.”

People on social media began labeling Affleck a “hypocrite” when he spoke out against his former employer, Harvey Weinstein, in a statement, saying he was an “angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades.”

However, Affleck’s remark infuriated the actor’s detractors. Hilarie Burton alleged on Wednesday that Affleck grabbed her breast during a 2003 visit to MTV’s TRL. Affleck expressed regret for his actions, claiming he behaved “inappropriately.” The Losique tape started to circulate again after that.

Affleck pulled Losique onto his lap in the initial interview, suggesting she remove her top while complimenting her “firm breasts.” This happened while Affleck was dating Jennifer Lopez.

Losique emphasized many times throughout a recent interview that how she and Affleck behaved toward one another was all for show, telling ET that it was “very popular” in Quebec at the time. She acknowledged, “We always got very high ratings. Networks would ‘milk that,’ as we say a lot. It was huge, really, as a fun thing.”

Losique stated that clips from the program are still broadcast in Quebec and are generally discussed in a lighthearted way. “But in this case, it is more of a delicate issue because of everything that is happening,” she added. “I can’t say I am thrilled to have that interview mixed in with the other stories because I don’t think that is at all the same thing.”

Losique said that there were 20 people in the room when the interview was recorded, and that she and Affleck were both aware that it would be shown publicly. “I can’t say I am thrilled to have that interview mixed in with the other stories because I don’t think that is at all the same thing,” she told THR.

Losique explained, “It has been blown out of proportion. I know that people like fishing for anything, but this is completely out of context. I would like this to not have any negative impact on him. I find it sad.”

Losique said she doesn’t want the unearthed video — or any others — to be taken out of context, even if she still considers her talks with Affleck “funny”

Losique said of the video, “You have to understand that we have done dozens and dozens of interviews like that. It was for a show I was producing, so I was not at all a victim. When the cameras rolled, we would start to do that game. As soon as it stopped rolling, there was none of that. He never touched me in any improper way. He was very respectful, I must say.”