Brendan Fraser is speaking out again about the sexual harassment he alleges against a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
The actor first brought attention to his allegations in a GQ profile earlier this year, describing an incident in which Philip Berk apparently sexually grabbed Fraser.
“I felt ill. I felt like a little kid,” he recalled. “I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry.”
Berk acknowledged the incident, but recalled it differently, explaining that he had pinched Fraser in jest.
The HFPA reacted at the time by announcing an investigation into the allegations.
GQ recently followed up with Fraser who said the investigation is now over, and the HFPA have denied his claims of harassment.
The 49-year-old said the organization, which runs the Golden Globe Awards, offered to release a joint statement saying, “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.”
“I don’t get the joke,” Fraser said, explaining his decision to decline signing onto the statement. “I’m the only one who would know where I was touched on my body.”
“[The HFPA are] 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?” he continued. “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.”
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Fraser said that he felt it was important for him to speak out on the issue.
“I wanted them to have every opportunity to change this,” he explained. “I think I’m just the first brick in the path. Maybe someone else will put another brick down and the path will continue on. I don’t know.”
