Veteran actor Morgan Freeman is the latest Hollywood heavyweight to find himself in the middle of sexual misconduct scandal. Recently, several women have come forward to accuse the 80-year-old actor of behaving inappropriately, including writer and activist Janet Mock.
According to a CNN report, many of the women accused Freeman of making lewd comments about their bodies. After the allegations surfaced, Freeman initially apologized “to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected,” but he has also denied the claims that he harassed anyone.
While at least one of the women in CNN’s report has come forward to say the network “misrepresented” her comments, Entertainment Tonight dug up footage that shows Freeman openly ogling some of its correspondents, including Mock.
In the clips, which date back to 2015 and 2016, Freeman asks one reporter if she “fools around with older guys,” and in another, he comments on the length of Mock’s skirt.
“I don’t know how you all manage to do that all the time,” Freeman told Mock. After asking if he was referring to her hair and makeup, the actor said, “No. You got a dress that’s halfway between your knee and your… hips, and you sit down right across from me and you cross your legs.”
Mock said the awkward moment left her “deeply disappointed.”
“I was deeply disappointed that someone who was seen as America’s grandfather was susceptible to such disturbing behavior and felt comfortable enough to do that as cameras were rolling and that he could take claim of my body and look at it before even looking into my eyes,” Mock said.
Earlier this week, Freeman’s lawyers sent a letter to CNN demanding the news organization retract its report, claiming it was a “product of malicious intent, falsehoods,” and “journalistic malpractice.”