Amid sexual misconduct allegations, videos of Morgan Freeman's inappropriate behavior surface
Morgan Freeman is the latest among the list of powerful men to be accused of creating unsafe work environments for women in Hollywood – a claim he has vehemently denied. While the truth about the allegations against him remain unclear, video footage of the 80-year-old actor behaving in a creepy manner with young female reporters has surfaced, leading us to believe that he is not as innocent as he claims to be.
The footage from 2016 shows the Oscar-winner, who was then promoting his film 'London has Fallen,' asking Entertainment Tonight's reporter Ashley Crossan if she was married.
When she replies "No," he further asks, "Fool around with older guys? I'm just asking."
Towards the interview, when Ashley shakes his hand and says,"Pleasure to meet you", he replies, "Mine. Look at yourself".
In yet another archival footage from ET, Morgan is seen being introduced by Janet Mock, this time, around 2015.
The actor, who was promoting film 'Five flights up,' is again seem acting very creepy, drawing attention towards the journalist's dress and etiquettes.
"I don't know how you all manage to do that all the time. You got a dress halfway between your knee and your hips, and you sit down right across from me and cross your legs," he can be heard saying.
The interviewer, who is also a renowned TV writer - and is currently writing and producing for Ryan Murphy’s new FX series, 'Pose' , a transgender activist and a best-selling author recalls the meeting and comments, "This interaction is an exhibition of the casual nature at which men in positions of power believe that everything belongs to them, including women’s bodies as they’re merely just trying to do their job."
As a woman of color, she also speaks about the disappointment she felt when she was talked to that way, by the man who is considered to be America's "grandfather."
"For me, as a young woman of color, who is a reporter and a fan of popular culture, I was deeply disappointed that someone who was seen as America's grandfather was susceptible to such disturbing behavior and felt comfortable enough to do that as cameras were rolling, and that he could take claim of my body and look at it before even looking into my eyes," she says.
After initially apologizing for any ill doings on his part, Morgan has unequivocally denied making any woman feel unsafe. A part of his statement read, "I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false."
Meanwhile, several women who claim to be victims of Morgan's sexual harassment, have begun the process of hiring lawyers, including a former employee who worked closely with him for years.
Reportedly the eight women who have come forward so far only make for the tip of the iceberg. According to sources, several more women will be coming forward, possibly implicating Morgan, in the next few weeks.