He believes it's partly why his career derailed, and said: "The phone does stop ringing in your career, and you start asking yourself why. His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. A cause of. Meet the New, Revamped Hollywood Foreign Press Association, 105 Members Strong Finally, the HFPA has entered the modern world, even if they did so kicking and screaming. Former HFPA president blasted over Black Lives Matter email - Los Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Do I feel like I need to say something? Then he went home and told his wife. HFPA also maintained that Berk, a 41-year member of HFPA and eight-term former president, faced no disciplinary action and was going to remain an active member of the HFPA. The actor said he told his then-wife, Afton Smith, about the incident, but did not speak publicly about it until this week. Historically, the HFPA has sought to maintain its reserved and exclusive appearance. / CBS News. Fraser's story is a reminder that while sexual misconduct is disproportionately experienced by women, it can happen to anyone, regardless of gender or sexuality. In a group email with HFPA members, Berk reportedly. I felt like a little kid. Magazines, Digital He says he didn't have the courage to speak out about it earlier because of the "risk of humiliation, or damage to my career.. Brendan Fraser Speaks Out About Being Groped by HFPA President in 2003 And HFPA has stated that their payments are "vetted by a professional nonprofit compensation consultant and outside counsel, where appropriate. "By the end of 2020, the association was collectively paying nearly $100,000 a month to members serving on more than a dozen different committees." This came after the 2021 Golden Globe Awards, which notably snubbed Black-led projects such as "Judas and the Black Messiah," "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and "One Night in Miami." This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident.". Brendan Fraser is sharing his own Me Too experienceand says a 15-year-oldassault may have contributed to the derailment of his career. We are excited for the future of our association and look forward to connecting with our colleagues in the industry both old and new over these next few months.. The star of the "The Mummy" trilogy and "George of the Jungle" is speaking out again after he told GQ earlier this year that Philip Berk, the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, groped him at a 2003 luncheon in Beverly Hills. Varietyadds that there's infighting among active HFPA members in terms of "how to reform and how to respond to its critics. In addition to a number of publicity firms, the American film production and distribution company Neon also joined the boycott. Fraser described in aninterview with GQthe moment that "overcame him with panic and fear.". Actor Brendan Fraser has accused a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that presents the annual Golden Globe Awards, of groping him at an event in 2003. Brendan Fraser promotes 'Trust' after alleging misconduct All rights reserved, UN Report: How Florida is Fueling Haiti's Arms Trafficking Crisis, Philippine Provincial Governor Shot Dead by Gunmen While Meeting Villagers, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. 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Miller Denies Allegation He Sexually Assaulted and Punched Woman While in College. Hollywood Foreign Press Association under fire after former president ", "Am I still frightened? And he starts moving it around. said recently that after being sexually harassed, Meet the Sexual Assault Survivors Attending Trump's State of the Union, Terry Crews Reveals He Was Sexually Assaulted by a "High-Level" Hollywood Executive, What Is Sexual Grooming? Why didn't Fraser go public? I became depressed. I thought I was going to cry, he says. Philip Berk Wiki: Who Is Hollywood Star Brendan Fraser's Alleged Abuser? Hollywood Foreign Press Association | New York Post According to. Berk tells the magazine that Frasers version is total fabrication. In Berks memoir, he recounts the incident, in which he placed his hand on Frasers butt during a hug, as a jest. Fraser is not the only male star taking action over assault claims. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. "), Letter aside, Fraser said, the experience "made me retreat. (Berk denies that the HFPA retaliated against Fraser, telling GQ, His career declined through no fault of ours). Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. I felt ill, he said, recalling his emotions after he removed Berks hand. ", Andrea is an entertainment producer at CBSNews.com, First published on June 7, 2018 / 2:27 PM. All rights reserved. This lack of representation also affects the films highlighted by the Golden Globes, which has been criticized numerous times for its lack of racial diversity in both nominations and awards. However, the first awards show wasn't the glitz and glamor that it would become. The allegation comes in a current GQ profile of Fraser titled What Ever Happened to Brendan Fraser?. "And he starts moving it around." Berk has repeatedly claimed that all he did was jokingly pinch Fraser's butt. LOS ANGELES - The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hosts the Golden Globes, is under fire after a former president of the organization sent an anti-Black Lives Matter email. Brendan Fraser is the latest actor to come forward with his story of sexual assault in the wake of the #MeToo and Times Up movement. I was blaming myself and I was miserablebecause I was saying, This is nothing; this guy reached around and he copped a feel. That summer wore onand I cant remember what I went on to work on next.. Mr. Fraser's account is disconcertingly reminiscent of reports from women in Hollywood who have spoken out about experiencing professional retaliation after being harassed or assaulted. I thought I was going to cry., After immediately leaving the luncheon, Fraser told his wife of the interaction but otherwise remained silent for fear of embarrassment and career damage. Absolutely. Deadline reports that in response to the cancellation, Cruise sent his three Golden Globe trophies back to the HFPA headquarters. "I felt ill. (This letter was referred to in a 2005 New York Times story that read in part, "Mr. Berk wrote a letter of apology to the actor Brendan Fraser for having grabbed the actor's buttocks during a ceremony to announce a charitable contribution, though Mr. Berk said in an interview that he did no such thing and wrote the letter only to mollify the actor. Throughout its history, the HFPA membership has never gone over 100, and as of May 2021 there are 86 members. As Vox puts it, foreign journalists felt like they were being shut out compared to local journalists, which they likely were due to xenophobic discrimination during World War II. The group even adopted the motto, "Unity without discrimination of religion or race," according to Hollywood Foreign Press Association: A History. Even after speaking about his allegations, Fraser still feels uneasy. But Fraser said the HFPA refused to share the report. In response to the cancellation, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association released a new and improved timeline of the "transformational changes" they plan to implement, noting that they will happen "regardless of the next air date of the Golden Globes.". Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe reveals 'promise' she made to mother before her death, Emma Stones 'And' co-star Willem Dafoe had her slap him 20 times to get scene right, Prince Harry's 'attacks' on 'villain' Camilla led to Frogmore Cottage eviction: expert, Film industry reacts to death of 'Saving Private Ryan' star Tom Sizemore: 'You're a legend', Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck'. In 2020, Norwegian entertainment journalist Kjersti Flaa sued the Hollywood Foreign Press Association after she was denied membership into the group. ", Kourtney Kardashian Shut Down a Fan Who Asked If She's Pregnant and Ignited a Debate About Women's Bodies. The actor, 49, who can be seen next month in FX's Getty family drama Trust,says the experience messed with his sense of who I was and what I was doing. Work, he says, withered on the vine for me. Fraser debated going public with the story but ultimately decided to remain silent out of fear of public humiliation and damaging his career. "His left hand reaches around, grabs my a** cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint," said Fraser. I call them friends in my mind. June 7, 2018 / 2:27 PM . It's unclear whether or not any other stars will follow suit and physically return their own Golden Globes. The New York Times notes that the HFPA's history of insensitive behavior coupled with their seemingly shady financial dealings may make it difficult for the Golden Globes to make a comeback, especially if another awards show takes their place. Up to 100 PR firms also indicated that they were disappointed with the HFPA's lack of commitment to "transformational change. For many journalists, the HFPA has always had a "terrible reputation," and the news that it's a self-involved clique wasn't too surprising. Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Page Six In comparison, members of the film and television academies don't get paid to serve on committees, writes CNET. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association responded in a statement that reads: "The HFPA stands firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behavior described in this article. The event left Fraser depressed and reclusive, he says, adding thathe was rarely invited back to the Globes after 2003. This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident.. "If I've done anything that upset Mr. Fraser, it was not intended," he said in the statement. I felt like a little kid. Brendan Fraser Calls Golden Globes "Hood Ornaments" Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. An email sent Sunday by a former Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. "It made me feel reclusive," the . Have I stopped myself? Perhaps best known for starring as Rick O'Connell in The Mummy trilogy and the title character in 1997's George of the Jungle, actor Brendan Fraser was an omnipresent Hollywood fixture in the 1990s and the first half of the 2000s. In a new interview with GQ, The Mummy star reveals he was. Then, he said, the HFPA asked him to sign a joint statement saying the investigation found that Berk touched Fraser inappropriately but "the evidence supports that it was intended to be taken as a joke and not as a sexual advance.". After the 2003 luncheon, Frasers representatives asked the HFPA for an apology, and Berk confirmed to GQ that he did write one. 344 Hollywood Foreign Press Associations Cecil B Demille Award Announcement Premium High Res Photos Browse 344 hollywood foreign press associations cecil b demille award announcement stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. I thought I was going to cry," he says. Out in the cold with the likes of Netflix, Amazon, WarnerMedia and other studios and networks, plus essentially boycotted by top flacks and hence their top-tier clients, the HFPAs new president plans to begin a charm offensive to convince Hollywood stakeholders that things trulyhave changed for the better at the organization. Absolutely, he said. And in 2019, HFPA members were flown to the set of "Emily in Paris," which later received two nominations. Hollywood Foreign Press Association expels member after racism NEW YORK (AP) The Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Thursday announced reforms to its bylaws and an overhaul of its membership process in a bid to diversify its ranks and potentially restore the heavily criticized Golden Globes. Brendan Fraser (left) accused former Hollywood Foreign Press President Philip Berk of groping him in 2003. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Brendan Fraser was at the peak of his career when he was sexually abused by Philip Berk, a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), as revealed in an interview published by GQ on Thursday. I thought I was going to cry. Am I still frightened? Actress Mira Sorvino, for instance, said recently that after being sexually harassed by disgraced former studio head Harvey Weinstein, she was relegated to "the fringes of the Miramax family"; director Peter Jackson even admitted that he blacklisted both Sorvino and actress Ashley Judd, who also has spoken out about being harassed by Weinstein, after Weinstein gave Jackson "false information" about the two actresses. Get the latest hollywood foreign press association news, articles, videos and photos on the New York Post. The organization drew widespread criticism for this year's slate of . Berk, who is still a member of the HFPA, told the magazine that Frasers version of events is a total fabrication and has previously denied grabbing the actor to the New York Times. According to Fraser, former HFPA President Phillip Berk assaulted him following a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Berk was the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization behind the Golden Globe Awards. Berk, who is still a member of the HFPA, also did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment but has denied the assault ever happened to The New York Times. He questioned if the HFPA blacklisted him as a result, since he was rarely invited back to the Golden Globes, which the HFPA runs, after 2003. Screenrant reports that WarnerMedia also joined the boycott and in their official press release, "called the HFPA out for a history of sexist, racist, and homophobic questions directed at actors and creatives at past press events.". Brendan Fraser's #MeToo Story Against the Hollywood Foreign Press Absolutely, he tells GQ. It made me feel reclusive. His career seemed on hold. Anne Thompson Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. Have I wanted to many, many times? Former HFPA president Phillip Berk. I felt ill. Absolutely. And he starts moving it around, Fraser told GQ. "Maybe I am over-reacting in terms of what the instance was. Is it ever okay to ask a woman especially one who's publicly undergone IVF if she's pregnant? Golden Globes crisis deepens as former president expelled and advisers head of Hollywood Foreign Press . There have also been numerous claims that voters are easily swayed. During a recent appearance on Howard Stern's SiriusXM talk show, Brendan Fraser continued to diss the Golden Globes. This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident.. (Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage). Fraser also shared that he wonders if the HFPA retaliated against him after the incident by depriving him of Golden Globes invitations or other professional opportunities. With less than 100 members, HFPA accepts less than five new members every year, and "any member can veto a newcomer's application in voting done by secret ballot," reports The Washington Post. Brendan Fraser Says Lost Superman Role Would've Been 'Faustian Bargain' Anyway: 'I'm Not a One-Trick Pony' I thought I was going to cry," Fraser said. There was also an incident in 1999, when HFPA members were gifted $400 Coach watches by USA Films. The 49-year-old Fraser told GQ about the alleged incident at a 2003 luncheon in the Beverly Hills Hotel. History and future met for a close-up on Sept. 15 in the newly dedicated Hollywood Foreign Press Association wing of California State University, Northridge's Manzanita Hall. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Brendan Fraser Alleges HFPA President Sexually Assaulted Him - Peoplemag