Multiple women have come forward to accuse actor Morgan Freeman of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment.
In a report from CNN, eight women say they were victims of Freeman’s harassment, while eight others say they witnessed the actor’s inappropriate behavior. Overall, 16 people described a disturbing pattern of behavior by Freeman on set and during film promotion.
Seven of the accusers say that Revelations Entertainment, Freeman’s production company, included an environment of harassment. One employee was allegedly the target of demeaning comments from Freeman, while another alleged that Lori McCreary, co-president of the Producers Guild of America and co-founder of Revelations Entertainment, made discriminatory remarks about a job candidate.
A production assistant who worked on 2015’s Going In Style, which starred Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin, also alleges that the actor repeatedly made comments on her figure and attire, adding that he would place his hand on her lower back or rub her lower back.
Freeman is also accused of sexually harassing a senior member of the production staff on the set of Now You See Me. She told CNN, “He did comment on our bodies… We knew that if he was coming by … not to wear any top that would show our breasts, not to wear anything that would show our bottoms, meaning not wearing clothes that [were] fitted.”
In other incidents, Freeman attempted to lift one woman’s skirt, subjected other woman to unwanted touching and made inappropriate comments about their bodies.
The full report also includes accusations from CNN‘s entertainment reporter, Chloe Melas. Melas, who was six months pregnant at the time, says that during a press junket for Going in Style, the actor repeatedly looked her up and down while saying variations of “I wish I was there” and “You are ripe.” Cameras were recording when he made one of the remarks.
News of the allegations comes after the man convicted of killing Freeman’s step-granddaughter, E’Dena Hines, told lawyers that Hines had an inappropriate sexual relationship with her step-grandfather.
Freeman also admitted in 2016 that he’s sexist, but not a misogynist, after commenting on a woman’s attire during a panel discussion at the Producer’s Guild of America’s Produced by Conference, “Sexist? Yeah. But I’m not misogynistic.”
Following the allegations, Freeman issued a statement, saying, “Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy. I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent.”