Writer, actor and director Casey Affleck has withdrawn from appearing at the 2018 Oscars. Affleck was scheduled to present the Best Actress Award, but on Thursday, he notified the Academy he would not be attending the event sources told Deadline. Best Actor winners traditionally present the Best Actress category. Affleck won the award for Best Actor last year for his performance in Manchester By the Sea.
The brother of fellow Academy Award winner Ben Affleck, the Hollywood star was sued by two female crew members for inappropriate behavior in 2010 while filming the mockumentary I'm Still Here. One woman claimed Affleck wouldn't pay her salary after she refused to spend the night in a hotel room with him. The woman also claimed that she had to endure a "daily barrage of sexual comments, innuendo and unwelcome advances by crew members within the presence and with the active encouragement of Affleck."
A second woman claimed Affleck (who was married at the time) crawled into bed with her while she slept.
With attention focused on the #MeToo and Times Up movements, Affleck's presence would have been a stark reminder of the settlements and non-disclosure agreements he entered following the allegations of inappropriate behavior he worked with on I'm Still Here.
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