Brendan Fraser has claimed he was asked to sign a document that an incident of alleged sexual abuse he experienced was intended as a “joke”.
Earlier this year, as accusations against several key figures in Hollywood continued to roll in, Fraser shared an allegation of his own, when he told GQ magazine that he had been groped by Philip Berk, the former president of the HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) back in 2003.
While Berk denied the allegation at the time, claiming it was a “total fabrication”, the HFPA said they would be opening an investigation, which Fraser has said is now concluded.
In a follow-up interview, again with GQ, Fraser has claimed that the HFPA came to him with a proposed joint statement, which read:
“Although it was concluded that Mr. Berk inappropriately touched Mr. Fraser, the evidence supports that it was intended to be taken as a joke and not as a sexual advance. All parties consider this matter to be concluded.””
Fraser declined to co-sign this statement, telling GQ: “I don’t get the joke… I’m the only one who would know where I was touched on my body.
“What I said to them was, ’Show me the investigator’s report, and then I’ll know what I’m signing off on… They’re kind of behaving like wolves in sheep’s clothing about it, saying, ‘Oh, we want him to heal.’ Well, the first step in that direction would be: What am I healing from? Can I please see this report? What is it? They commissioned an investigation. They received their report. And they’re not giving any details about it, and they’re not giving up the report itself.”
Berk, the accused, remains a member of the HFPA, telling the magazine he has not faced any disciplinary action “at all” over the accusations.
GQ noted that the HFPA did not respond to their “multiple requests for comment”. HuffPost UK has also reached out.
The HFPA is an organisation of journalists and photographers who report on the entertainment industry, best known for putting on the Golden Globes each year.
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