For months, we’ve been talking about Nate Parker and how he should not be allowed to be normalized and celebrated in Hollywood or in the world. And now that all is said and done, Parker is not in the conversation – in any way – this Oscar season. Which is as it should be. But what about Casey Affleck? Casey stars in Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea, which is already racking up awards this week. Casey just won the Gotham Award and National Board of Review awards for Best Actor, which pretty much makes him the frontrunner for in the Best Actor race overall.
As soon as Casey Affleck emerged as one of the frontrunners though, another conversation began: would legit media outlets discuss the two women who accused Casey of sexual harassment in 2010? Some outlets have been doing the same kind of detailed reporting that Nate Parker got, like this piece at The Daily Beast, or this piece at Mashable. While the Nate Parker story was more horrific and disturbing because it involved an alleged gang rape, a criminal trial, a guilty verdict and the alleged victim’s suicide, the accusations against Casey are not ones of simple misunderstanding. The women maintained their stories, and Casey ended up settling with both women through mediation, out of court.
New York Magazine wrote a detailed piece this week – go here to read – not only about the allegations lodged against Casey, but about the press around those allegations. Or should I say, the lack of press. While Nate Parker had to do what amounted to an apology/explanation tour – a tour that spectacularly blew up in his face – Casey hasn’t even been asked any questions about the allegations in any of the industry-press interviews he’s done. He even covered a recent issue of Variety, and still no questions. Variety is incidentally one of the outlets which Nate Parker went to. Do I actually have to write the words? Sure, I will. White privilege. There you go.
While I’m not lamenting the fact that Nate Parker was properly shunned, I do think it’s about time for the entertainment press to take a closer look at Casey and start asking some similar questions. But as New York Magazine notes, “Affleck has all the privilege and protection that Parker did not, which is why, although their cases are not completely analogous, their Oscar journeys have played out so differently. Parker’s career is likely over, while Affleck’s is on the rise.”
Photos courtesy of Variety, Fame/Flynet, WENN.
Because if you’re a white man and women accuse you of sexual assault, it qualifies you to run the country.
So sad, yet so true.
Sadly true
I came to write basically the same thing. If a presidential nominee can win the election amidst a series of extremely public sexual scandals, then anything is possible.
I feel so bad for those victims. Not only did voters completely ignore them (including voters with pussies to be grabbed), but ever since he won it seems like no one even cares about what happened anymore. They became a mere footnote.
Truth.
A black man with several marriages behind him, kids by different women, one ex-wife alleging rape along with 12 women alleging assault plus his own words claiming same, living in a gilt-ridden blingtastic high rise palace, a shaky grip on truth and reality… you know exactly how that would be presented if he tried running for president. How the narrative would be. Yet Obama, who is pure class in every single aspect of his personal life – smarter, kinder, funnier, wiser, more uxurious, a better parent – than the rest of us is still side-eyed and his faith and nation of birth questioned. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
This thing with Casey Affleck is horrifying. And it’s all about white privilege, though in his case, given who his brother is, class privilege is factoring in as well I suspect.
Very well put.
And I agree with you on class privilege completely. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are A+ list, deeply embedded in Hollywood, and have always received a level of public goodwill because of their own Simple Boston Boys narrative and self-made careers. They’re Casey’s bros, they’re vouching for him, and outlets don’t want to lose access to (i) all three stars and (ii) the public that comes along with them by ruffling feathers.
Yeah. The president that’s been married to the same person forever, attended church and raised two well-adjusted kids is suspect, but people like Trump, Gingrich and Giuliani who have had multiple affairs and marriages are the “family values” standard bearers. *sigh* You know Obama must have been a total “boy scout” too. The republicans have been hunting for any possible scandal to pin on Obama for years. If there was even a whiff of infidelity we would have heard about it.
How do you know Obama is a better parent than the rest of us?
Rischa, the original comment wasn’t about Obama being a better parent than the rest of us, but a better parent compared with Donald Trump.
the comment was “…a better parent – than the rest of us.” It wasn’t comparing Obama and Trump.
But the original poster had a very good point. Men like Casey Affleck and Donald Trump are apparently held to a different standard than their counterparts of color. And it’s wrong, it’s unfair, and it should not happen.
K2, you put is so well!!! I never understood this “hate” for Obama. Even if one does not agree on his views, (which I would, but I am a European), it always puzzled me. How can one not like “Obama, who is pure class in every single aspect of his personal life – smarter, kinder, funnier, wiser, more uxurious, a better parent”.
We have presidential election coming up and I will vote for the lesser “evil”, because non of the candidates have any of the above (perhaps they are good parents, too, but this is not dicussed over here).
OBAMA FOR 3rd TERM !!! (one can still live in wishfull-thinking land, can’t ya? 😉
Or send Obama to Europe, if the US is fed up with him. 😉
Horribly true.
Well nothing happened to Parker, so it’s more like men with power can do whatever they want. I am not sure this is a race issue.
Nah but Caseys getting an Oscar this year and he’s being protected by Hollywood at large. Whereas Nate was dismissed from the inner sanctum of Hollywood.
but Casey didn’t exactly rape anyone
Race definitely has some influence on the issue in the United States. Statistically, white men are more likely to see lighter sentencing in cases involving sexual assault than non-whites. Money and power can alter the dynamics. Notably, while Parker’s sentence was suspended, he still went to trial for the crime and it became the dominating subject of discussion around “Birth of Nation.” Casey Affleck’s behavior is barely making ripples in mainstream media, much less in a courtroom.
I’d be very careful splitting hairs over the definition of sexual assault where it doesn’t specifically involve penetration. Both of the women in question here describe aggressive physical and sexual behavior, one occurrence of which began WHILE THE WOMAN WAS UNCONSCIOUS. To be perfectly blunt, the type of behavior exhibited there more likely suggests he has done it before and will continue to do so. If he’s willing to be this overt in his behavior with women who have industry connections, my question is “What has this man done to women who don’t even have that modicum of power?”
Nate Parker does have some power. Not as big as Trump but still more power than most of us.
Groper-In-Chief. smh.
Exactly. White privilege allows sexually harassing Caucasian men to go about their business unscathed. However, if you are a man of color, it stops you in your tracks.
Now, I’m not saying that Nate Parker was innocent, nor the spotlight on his actions unjustified. But, if the media picks-up on that kind of behavior and its resultant effects for one situation, they need to do the same for ALL situations.
Well Nate Parker was the one who brought it up. If Parker had acknowledged what he did was wrong, rather than try to convince us all that since he wasn’t convicted we shouldn’t have an issue with rape charges being brought against him, I think he would have survived the situation.
Casey Afflect is doing everything he can to bury this. I am glad it came out before I saw the film. Manchester by the Sea just got crossed off my “must see” list.
Ugh, the accuracy of this statement made my stomach turn. So sad, yet so true.
Nailed it.
Exactly. If a sexual predator can run and actually win for President it will be so easy for another to receive accolades in the Hollywood industry.
But what is annoying is that although Hollywood by and large did not support Trump, remember Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck’s whatever-she-currently-is-to-him, campaigned for Hilary?
It’s good that many of them spoke out against him.
It’s disappointing that there are double standards when it comes to one of their own. I doubt that the women who are the target of sexual assault and harassment find comfort in the liberal political orientation of their abusers
One is white the other is black. That’s it!
and when questioned the person publicly responds “look at her, she would not be my first choice”
White privilege
Yeh. Just like Bill COsby
Bill Cosby got dragged, Casey is getting an oscar. Acknowledge your privilege.
Polanski is also a good example.
Don’t forget Woody Allen.
America elected a sexual predator and rapist for a president so this is nothing on Hollywood’s radar. He also has his brother, Matt Damon and the entire Hollywood standing by him and holding his hand.
Yes and it’s not the first time we’ve elected a sexual predator, either! Bill Clinton had a rape allegation against him in University, and numerous charges of sexual harassment.
This is worth pointing out… He’s not the first president who assaulted women. Let’s hope he’s the last. And let’s hope people start actually being disgusted when it’s revealed that a celebrity they admire is a predator. I mean, people hate Kim and Kanye bit neither of them has ever actually hurt anyone.
Paula Jones lost her sexual harassment case and the other women’s cases were investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.
Presumably because a) he’s white, and b) the Afflecks are very well connected.
This. It also doesn’t hurt that Matt Damon produced the film (and is featured prominently in its ads), and he and Ben are campaigning hard for Casey. That NY Magazine article surmised that media outlets are hesitant to ask him about the allegations for fear of losing access to Damon and Affleck.
I am definitely rooting for Denzel to pull off an upset in the Best Actor category this year. The allegations against Casey are sickening, and it’s absolutely disgusting that he’s not being dragged for this like Parker was.
Exactly. All of this. Like Lainey always says, guys like Casey Affleck (and Timberlake) will be fine. But not only should Casey be asked about the really awful allegations against him (it’s not rape but they were pretty horrific and as a woman who has to work with and travel with men, I would be incredibly upset and traumatized if I experienced the kinds of things he allegedly did) but this is all the more reason I hope Denzel gets the Oscar.
I’d also add, next to your points and some others have made, that while Affleck is only an actor in his film, so a smaller part of the puzzle, Parker was the director, the writer (together with his friend who was actually convicted) and the lead; in a script that he wrote he used rape as a plot point of a historical movie although he made that rape up.
So I think we kinda see Parker = Birth of a Nation and then everything about it is just wrong. I don’t see the same Affleck = MbtS. I wish he doesn’t get nominated, but the film isn’t his the way Birth is Parker’s.
White privilege plus the backing of two really powerful names in Hollywood – Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Casey is a lovely actor but after the allegations, I had to stop watching his movies.
What is it with ignoring sexual assault lately? I know this is an always thing, but it’s just showing up everywhere now on. Even my favorite soap opera is being overrun by a sexual assaulter.
OH Trust me Sexual Assault has ALWAYS been ignored. It’s just that now we know about it. So at least that’s some progress, I guess.
Another facet to this is that the afflecks are power players. Btw casey settling with his accusers is exactly Cosby’s signature move. Again, power buying silence and complicity.
I didn’t know about these allegations. What a gross, gross man. I was so excited to watch Manchester by the Sea, guess now I’ll have to skip it.
I feel like I can’t like any actor anymore. Hollywood is just becoming a cesspool.
Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal still seem to be ok. So far anyway.
Add the wonderful Mark Ruffalo. And what would the USA be without Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks?
Denzel Washington is a messy cheater. Mark Ruffalo was a mess on the Graham Norton show (chanting gypsy over and over again) and a 9/11 truther (though maybe not completely crazy).
I’ll give you Tom Hanks though.
I think the worst anyone’s said about Ed Norton is that he’s a difficult perfectionist. He seems a decent guy (cue lurid tales)…and Ed Harris is usually on the right side of moral issues I think.
I must admit to being a rank amateur in gossip world.
Nope, Tom Hanks cheats, too.
@alleycat – becoming a cesspool? I think it has been for a long time.. disappointed to hear this about Casey Affleck – I loved Gone Baby Gone. And as a long time Matt Damon fan, disappointed in him. Looking back at Ben Affleck’s douchey behaviour towards women, if it’s true, I guess it runs in the family…
I think it really runs in the family. And it’s somehing sick. I read the details of the case in The Daily Beast piece and I don’t want to shy away from words: sick, screwed up mind frame. And it’s impossible not to be even more horrid stories like those out there. These are not one time occurencies. And let’s not forget Joaquin Phoenix is in Casey’s group as well. Another great talent.
Massively dissapointed in Damon too. Again. Done with him.
And Ben has even more privilege than his brother because he has the happy family umbrella to protect him. Let’s not forget Casey had that umbrella too until recently. Garner is tougher and hanging in the cesspool pretty good. She probably belongs there. The only good thing is that apparently Live by Night, the movie to which we owe those recent photo ops of Garner and her soul mate, is terrible.
These ‘geniuses’ and wonderful ‘family men’ won’t get the privilege of getting my money.
ALS: Thank you for someone finally bringing up Joaquin. He did nothing to help or defend the two women on his movie set??
It’s always been. The rumors just get out now.
The funny and underrated Hail Caesar had a serious point in the fixer played by Josh Brolin (himself not immune from scandal) sweeping all the stars’ transgressions under the (red) carpet. There has always been rotten things going on, right back to the silent era.
You should read Hollywood Babylon sometime. It has always been a cesspool. It was easier for agents to hide bad behavior and control clients back then so we didn’t know it all like we do now.
I have read Hollywood Babylon: Horrifying, and tragic. Nothing that is revealed to be happening among the Hollywood industry will ever shock me…I will skip seeing Manchester by the Sea, now. But lots and lots of people won’t, I know. Makes me feel helpless.
celebrity privilige
Because a man’s ‘genius’ is worth protecting more than a woman’s rights, health and emotional well being. They are expendable, where ‘the work’ is concerned. Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, David Bowie and Johnny Depp are just the latest in a long line of dudes who were protected because they were tortured souls, or whatever. I’m a tortured soul. If I yell at my kids I’m on the line to my therapist for a few hours. Either men are raised to believe they don’t have to hold THEMSELVES accountable (nevermind anyone else), or women are straight up seen as consumable.
@mykarwood – very well put!
Both, I’d say.
Yes, they say their genius and talent must be protected. Along with their predatory, perverted, sick selves. These poor, poor men always attacked by mean, lying women!
I wonder whether being a woman will be outlawed soon as a final, desperate attempt to protect the fragile and twisted egos of this sort of men.
Just once couldn’t said gross make man up and say: I am guilty of awful sexual harassment. I made women in subordinate work positions feel frightened, violated and concerned for their safety. Looking back, I can’t believe I did that to human grunge I do respect. There is no excuse for it. I think we as men don’t realize that women get raked and killed by men, and they have to live with a fear that a man can physically dominate them and they are vulnerable to that every day. I just feel sick understanding what horrible affronts I committed against these women. Especially because I didn’t ever stop and try to understand how awful I was. I downplayed it, pretended it was just good fun. I am incredibly remorseful and was 100% a gross asshole. But I did listen and I paid money and I am grateful not to be criminally prosecuted for assault. What I did was illegal, immoral and disgusting. I am truly sorry, and it will never happen again.”
Is that too much to ask?
It is much easier for some men in positions of power to just write a cheque and make the problem go away. Than to admit what they did was wrong and that they need to get help.
Society is so messed up
And then they would still just write checks. Writing checks is the punishment in civil sexual harassment cases.
It’s not too much to ask, but apparently it’s too much for them to admit. 😠
If only.
Oy, Apologies for the typos. I wrote that before I got out of bed, and obviously did not proof read.
This wasn’t a one time thing though that was out of character. For example, “She claimed that Affleck repeatedly referred to women as “cows,” and recounted his sexual exploits with reckless abandon.”
Women aren’t people to him. So why would he apologize? He doesn’t see any victims other than himself. That’s why there will be no apology.
Exactly.
I have just read the NYM piece and this really sounds like ‘practised’ behaviour. Pure privilege at work here.
A man being rude about women in front of women knowing he can’t be touched. But how many times have men done this expecting women to laugh right along?
Even today, a moron I work with, tried to run down a female Manager who got promoted claiming she was undeserving of Director status.
FFS, I work in financial services, I am working with a million men who are definitely undeserving of where they find themselves but for their di*ks!
He told The NY Times he not responsible and HE was hurt by it.
1. White
2. Wealthy
3. Last Name-Affleck
This.
I think it’s also important to note that much like Affleck, Parker’s sexual assault case was mentioned in the press in only small blurbs until word got out the victim committed suicide. THAT’S when the whole thing blew up and there was simply no recovery from that. Unfortunately, it’s seems that when it comes to sexual assault in the entertainment industry someone literally has to die for there to be any serious consideration.
It was also partly due their try to get ahead of the narrative tactic. It was extremely poorly executed and gross. Like ok y’all have from now until the film premiere to talk about it, get upset, and process it – after that all is forgiven and don’t hurt our box office or award chances.
Exactly. The entertainment press knew about the rape case since at least Sundance but kept quiet. Nate Parker opened the floodgates by trying to get ahead of the story. Parker would have survived had he kept quiet (like Casey Affleck), or issued a publicist-vetted statement (something other than “it was unambiguously consensual”).
If CAffleck starts writing insensitive facebook posts trying to convince people he’s innocent, then the press will pounce.
Maybe he didn’t do it
Weak b8 m8.
Yes, women in the film industry without the benefit of connections, money, and a last name frequently get together and make up accusations that they know could destroy their career. Innocent people with more money and lawyers, who could simply make a civil case to laborious and costly to presue often settle and publicly agree to counseling.
Only Kim, Kanye, and sexual assault/harassment victims get their claims thrown back in their face. Someone stole your car? People feel bad for you. House burns down? They will offer you a place to stay. No questions asked. Insurance scam are a whole lot more common than false sexual abuse allegations.
Nate Parker made a monumentally terrible PR choice and gave that awful interview to ‘get ahead’ of a story the media was already happily ignoring. That’s the difference.
He opened the doors, and he did so in such a tone deaf way that he turned it into a much, much bigger story than it ever would have been had he just ignored it. After all, the story was out there when he was getting praise for Beyond the Lights, and it really picked up steam after Sundance, but the media and fans were happy to brush past it or sweep it under the rug until he made it news.
Casey’s been much lower key up til now and has avoided referencing it in any way. He hasn’t been doing that much press and he’s not going for the likeable movie star angle or God fearing morality beacon angle like Parker was, so there’s not the drive to point out his hypocrisy. His campaign became a lot more public last week, so now the conversation is starting. If Parker hadn’t already imploded Affleck probably would have got through it and won the Oscar just by ignoring the story, but the environment is different this year and while he’ll probably still be nominated since Manchester is a BP fave, he’s gone from a lock to a outside chance real fast.
If he backs off a little, manages to keep ignoring the story and isn’t dumb enough to put both his feet in his mouth like Parker, he’ll keep his career. He’s not that famous and most of his films fly under the radar, so people will forget. Parker would have been fine too if he hadn’t been looking to be more of a ‘movie star’.
I have to say, I really dislike the tone running throughout this whole conversation that implies that Parker is being treated unfairly. People completely ignored Cosby’s crimes for decades even though the rumours were absolutely rampant and many allegations had been made public, and even after it became a huge scandal it only gained legitimacy in many people’s eyes after court transcripts came out showing Cosby talking about his behaviour.
Like Cosby, Parker was brought down by his own choices and words. If Affleck gives an interview talking a bunch of crap about how hard the situation was for him and how he was vindicated by the settlements, and it’s all cool now cause God’s his best bro and he totally knows a lot of women, and the media ignores all that, then there’s an issue. As it is, now that he’s courting publicity rather than doing behind the scenes campaigning, the media are coming for him.
Exactly.
This. Parker would have made it trough had he kept his mouth shut, as you said, media was already happily ignoring the allegations.
So although I won’t deny the white privilege will give Casey extra protection, I think what ultimately (and thankfully) brought Nate down was his stupid and tone deaf approach.
Oprah offered to help Nate Parker and he ignored her. Shame on Oprah!!!
+1000
In addition to everything you wrote, it’s also worth noting that people in the industry know about the sexual harassment lawsuits, and that knowledge may have hurt Casey Affleck’s career. It’s hard to know, of course, but Casey doesn’t seem to have gotten a career boost from his great performance in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Rape is much worse than sexual harassment or climbing into your own bed while drunk, but Casey’s offenses were against his peers in the industry, and that matters too. Casey doesn’t have a great reputation, even if the press isn’t writing about it.
Part of the problem with Parker was that he was the one that set up a interview and brought it up trying get ahead of it before the media as they assumed they would. And then stuck his foot in it and made it worse, and then the court transcripts were public record. Before that THR interview that Sony/parkers team set up-no one was talking about Parkers crimes or looking at transcripts either.
That said-no one is talking about Casey because his last name is affleck and he’s got big name actors backing him up (with a smarter team in place to) But even if his name was Casey smith he’d still get the benefit of the doubt as a white guy because we all know women lie about white guys /sarcasm.
I think your comment is more fair than the comment directly above it.
I do agree with both of you that Parker made a monumental mistake by talking about it and it didn’t help matters that he added a rape scene to his movie. That being said, I think it’s undeniable that skin color plays a role in how each man is portrayed in the media and viewed by the public.
Yes, Affleck is a lot more connected but that could also mean there is a lot more to lose if it all goes wrong. The chances are slim but if the public does not buy the image they are selling of Casey, they will all have eggs on their faces, Casey, Ben and Damon.
Parker lost his career (for now), if Casey loses and this story blows up, he will drag down a lot more people.
Men are powerful, women are expendable. It makes me weep.
We aren’t expendable and women need to remember it. Only expendable when we unfortunately give our power to men and the media. We do it all the time. Its not just their problem and they don’t have all the power, we often give it to them without question. No woman should have voted for Trump after his pussy grabbing tape but here we are and we have a man in office who advocates grabbing women without their permission.
As a reporter and an editor, I’ve been thinking a lot about the questions that are asked and the ones that aren’t asked (especially with regard to Trump). At this point, the media are so neutered and cowed and this is yet another example of this sad phenomenon. I can guarantee that reporter after reporter has either been told that if they ask about Casey Affleck’s harassment of these women, they’ll lose their interview (and, along with it, who knows what else). They probably also don’t want to deal with the tantrum Affleck would throw if they did ask; I can’t say that I blame them. Stars and their PR people did this to the entertainment media, and the media took it; look at how many a$$hole stars see their DIRECT QUOTES in print and then claim to be misquoted. How to fix it? I don’t know. I’ll end with a simple SMH.
I’ve thought about this too. The thing is, these actors (and politicians like Trump) need the media as much as the media needs them. The press gave Trump billions of dollars of free advertising throughout his campaign, which undoubtedly helped him win the election. But they did so at the expense of journalism, because he threatened to withhold access if reporters asked him tough questions or called him out on his lies. It’s easy to say in hindsight, but had all of the major media outlets stood together and refused to give air time to Trump and his minions unless he agreed to a fair interview, then he wouldn’t have gotten nearly as much free publicity and his campaign likely would have failed.
It’s the same with these actors. They need the media exposure for their films and awards campaigns to succeed. If media outlets decline to interview actors who restrict what kinds of questions will be asked, then things will have to change. But all of the major outlets would have to do this in order for it to work. And I doubt that will ever happen, because most media outlets in this country are controlled by a handful of corporations, and making money is far more important than pursuing the truth and maintaining journalistic integrity. So yeah, I agree with you. There are no real solutions.
It’s a tough world, @JulP. Media folks (I don’t count myself — I write and report and edit puffy, sweet lifestyle pieces for a few small-town publications and I love my job and publications to bits, but journalism it ain’t) need to nut up (can I say that here?), but that’s impossible to do with so much advertising money at stake.
And you’re right about Trump. Hindsight is a bitch. I am hoping that, going forward, media stop reporting on his every moronic tweet and report on his ACTIONS. Suggestion to any big media people: Run his tweets, but diminish it by making them a regular feature and/or column with fact checking included. That way we can avoid, a la the WSJ, running headlines about “Trump Taking Aim at Illegal Votes” when all he did was tweet lies.
Excellent points. It’s really f*cked up though…and I’ll match your SMH.
@kitten Let’s SMH all day, my dear.
“Neutered and cowed.” Could not have said it more eloquently. Many of us are waiting to see if this becomes a national crisis here in TRUMP LAND.
@third ginger Everyday, the new normal gets more normal and in that, monre frightening.
Duplicate.
Nate Parker worked just fine in this industry for years with his buddy, never hiding his rape accusation and trial. His career never once suffered for it and not much was made of his past by the media. I had read about his past years ago when he was in another movie.. It was that horrible first interview in promoting the movie where he addressed it in a smug and tone-deaf, I’m the victim way that set the ball rolling. Then his victim is
found to have killed herself. Still working with Celestine. writing a gang rape in the movie. many factors hurt him, mostly his own words, which led to it
turning into a big story, adding to that her family coming out with damning interviews or statements blaming him and his ongoing harrassment of her on campus with his buddy. The trial transcripts were out there.
Casey’s civil case of ongoing sexual harrassment in the workplace was settled. The woman also got their names put back on the movie as far as credits. No one is talking. Probably a stipulation in the settlement. Casey sounds like a pig to me, but his people have been smart, no big interview in promoting this movie where he addresses it where he shows his arrogance and tone-deafness about the environment he created with these two women. If he did,I guarantee he would play the victim too and start off a flurry of new articles and opinion pieces. His PR team are great, keeping his mouth shut, and no traction to be gained in the way Nate Parker’s promo did. Nate’s movie ended up not being Oscar-worthy anyway as far as average reviews for him as the director, screenwriter. Although, did the controversy affect any nominations for the other actors? We will see soon enough. I would hope not. Manchester by the Sea is critically acclaimed as is his performance. Will his past affect his Oscar chances? Maybe.
white skin means so much…so much LMAO. i cannot.
At least with Nate, he went to trial faced the law, though the outcome is not want most of you wanted…. he still addressed it. It really begs to diff at what point do you stop punishing someone , i mean he did go to court and address his accuser and the victim addressed her allege attacker…but that a whole other point.
Now with casey….. from my recollection he settled OR IS TRYING to settle most of these (a la R.kelly style) and that to me proves guilt. (side note: I am currently going thru a legal case and the opponent offered to settle as the evidence I had was about to be an avalanche of valid fkery)
But back to Casey he is ACTIVELY trying to settle and simultaneously smear these ladies in hollywood and as women they’re probably done in that field from this. Meanwhile Casey is about to be an oscar contender. And that there people is the power, the ABSOLUTE power of white privilege.
Settling doesn’t make Casey more guilty than Nate. You should look at the details of mates case of you think trial makes it more forgiveable than harrasment. They harassed their victim after the rape too. Details there are horrific
Parker had no choice but to go to trial; it was a CRIMINAL case. There is no settlement opportunity. The only way out is to confess or plea bargain and he would still have to go before a judge. You are trying to give nobility to him for standing trial where there should be none.
Affleck’s case was CIVIL, not criminal. Judges encourage parties to settle. It is far less costly for all parties. That settlement was through a mediation process, which courts set up for the purpose of getting parties to settle. The plaintiffs agreed to mediate and they agreed to settle because they thought it in their best interests. You are putting far too much meaning into legal procedures.
ill recopy this comment
Did you read the filing papers…. she was all but almost raped…. he hopped in her bed and proceeded to touch and if not try to fondle her and she had to repeatedly beg him to leave then… then he menaced her for requesting him to do so…. ALL THE WHILE the male crew members were there….
also he forced a male colleague to reveal himself to one of the ladies….
This man is trash dont whitewash it
I’m not whitewashing a thing. I am trying to explain the difference between criminal and civil to you and how standing trial in a criminal case is not so much better and more noble than settling a civil case, as you seem to believe it is. She did not press criminal charges, did she? Police were not involved, were they? Had the case not settled in mediation and gone forward and she prevailed, he would have been found to have violated a statute and liable for damages, the word “guilty” would not be used; he would have been ordered to pay damages; and she would have to prove what those were; and no criminal record would exist and no jail time.
I have to agree with Lightpurple here. I think both men are horrible and now I’ll boycott both of them. As a lawyer though, Lightpurple is correct. A criminal case is different than a civil case. Settlement is the name of the game in civil litigation–it isn’t an option in criminal cases.
In Caseys case the women are okay. They weren’t stalked and they got a pay out and they haven’t committed suicide. Also no rape-rape (penetration). Sounds more like a creepy boss and maybe a terrible person but certainly not the same case as Parkers. Wasn’t the guy who was convicted of raping Parkers victim still his right hand man on the very movie? Really not the same situation. Other white men have done worse than Casey too. We just talk about it less because it’s old news but they are more celebrated than Casey (Sean penn is an example).
WTF?
How do you know they are okay? Have you ever been sexually harrassed by your boss?
A little but I got worse from co workers at a couple places. Sorry OKAY is not the right word. I was less harassed than these ladies and it still bothers me. But objectively they’re doing Better than the woman who was hang raped stalked and killed herself leaving a child in the end 🙁
@fiorella
Did you read the filing papers…. she was all but almost raped…. he hopped in her bed and proceeded to touch and if not try to fondle her and she had to repeatedly beg him to leave then… then he menaced her for requesting him to do so…. ALL THE WHILE the male crew members were there….
also he forced a male colleague to reveal himself to one of the ladies….
This man is trash dont whitewash it
No I didn’t realize it was that bad actually (no I didn’t read them.) thank you for mentioning that . That is pretty gross.
According to court papers he
He groped a sleeping woman, got angry at her when she woke up and rejected him
Grabbed one and got physical when angry with her
Called women cows
Had a man repeatedly show his penis even when she asked him not to
One woman threw up because it was so degrading
Locked a woman out of her room so he and his wife’s brother could have sex with women
Used his fame, power, money, and name to settle this quietly and retaliate against them for having the audacity to want a safe work place.
Maybe he didn’t rape anyone but this is being ridiculously downplayed and unreported.
Probably because the case went to mediation — even though we know the details, there’s enough reasonable doubt for the media because of the settlement. It’s still very rare for someone as young as Casey to win Best Actor at the Oscars…the inverse is true for women.
That can’t be their reasoning. If you are solely looking at the outcome of the two cases Nate Parker was cleared. While settling is not an automatic indication of guilt, of the two it looks more like Parker. Had he not brought the rape case in the beginning I don’t know if the press would have brought up charges he had already been tried and declared not guilty for. Even the co-conspirator’s conviction was overturned on appeal.
“It’s still very rare for someone as young as Casey to win Best Actor at the Oscars”
That’s not entirely true. In the last 15 years, Leonardo Dicaprio, Eddie Redmayne, Jean Dujardin & Adrien Brody all won in their early 40s.
White privilege, of course. Also, I knew about these cases. They were reported on when they happened. Not heavily, because Casey is hardly an A-lister and the victims even less so, but I think people in the industry at least were aware of this. Casey isn’t a hot new breakout this year, he was nominated for an oscar almost a decade ago.
I think its worth mentioning too that sexual harassment is always disturbing as hell, but from a media perspective, Parker’s victim committing suicide is more attention grabbing than any headline they could draw up out of this story.
Rape was also a major plot point of the film Parker was pushing, a fictional rape at that, which I am sure didn’t help matters either.
There is a huge legal difference in these two cases. One was criminal; the other civil. That may not seem like much to those outside the law but it really is a big difference. One can result in prison time, the other can only result in paying damages and penalties
Why would that have an effect on when and how it is reported? A criminal case has a higher burden of proof, involves police investigation, but a woman choosing not to file a criminal complaint and pursue a civil case instead doesn’t make the claim less valid. If they were worried about exposing them to scrutiny due to false allegations they wouldn’t have gone after Parker. It makes a difference in court and possible consequences but I don’t think it explains away the discrepancies in how the media handled these two. There a quite a few factor aside from white privilege but I don’t think this was one of them. Not that it isn’t an important distinction to make.
Because it is NOT an either or situation in workplace sexual harassment cases despite the number of people here trying to make it one.
If this little punk even said the word penis in front of me I would smack that face off his head so hard he would magically transport back to his parents nether regions and decide not to be born.
Maybe I’m not scared of losing a job, being poor, or a little jail because I would sincerely knuckle sandwich a mfer for even trying it these days. Don’t touch me, don’t threaten to touch me, and I won’t touch your rapey wanna be azz back. Sick of entitled gross dudes. Eff em!
I like your approach.
I need to memorize your first sentence. Love it
Casey has the same protection that like Polanski or Allen has. He has his brother and his team and their friends to spread the word around the media to NOT mention the sexual assaults. This is why mainstream media sucks. They are so corrupt. I’d like to see Casey interviewed by a non biased news source who isn’t afraid to ask about the allegations.
What sexual assaults? He has not been accused of sexual assault. He was accused of sexual harassment, which is a civil charge, punishable by a fine and for which most states set up administrative tribunals instead of trying them in open courts. Polanski and Allen were accused of sexual assaults on children, which is a criminal act and should result in prison time. Both are bad. Both deserve punishment. But they are not the same offense and they should not be lumped together as if they were.
You’re correct he was only sued for harassment but according to court papers here are some things that happened. It’s obvious Affleck’s camp is downplaying this because if this is true, he did assault someone but they were most likely intimidated into agreeing on a civil harassment suit. One woman specifically noted in her case she has never sued anyone in all the years in the industry and she knew Affleck would essentially try to shut her up. Another issue is he was the employer and he allowed Mr. Antony Langdon to do some disgusting things like exposing himself. No idea why he wasn’t sued too but Affleck is partly responsible if he did encourage Langdon to do that.
Details we’re not hearing about:
He groped a sleeping woman, got angry at her when she woke up and rejected him
Grabbed one and got physical when angry with her
Called women cows and told them to let coworkers impregnate them
Had a man repeatedly show his penis even when she asked him not to
One woman threw up because it was so degrading
Locked a woman out of her room so he and his wife’s brother could have sex with women
Used his fame, power, money, and name to settle this quietly and retaliate against them for having the audacity to want a safe work place.
Maybe he didn’t rape anyone but this is being ridiculously downplayed and unreported.
I’ve heard of all those things. Intimidated into agreeing on a civil harassment suit? And when would this agreement take place? With whom? I practice labor law. I have never had a discussion with a client along the lines of what you are suggesting. I don’t know any labor law attorney who would. There are no discussions between the accuser and the accused about whether the accuser should file a police report or a civil lawsuit. Ever. Everything you describe falls into the category of workplace sexual harassment in violation of the EEOC, which is precisely what I have been saying all along. Also, “used his fame, power, money, and name to settle this quietly and RETALIATE against them …” Settlements are extremely common in all workplace sexual harassment cases. The cases themselves usually take years. This one was not done quietly; it was publicized when it was filed and when it was settled. And retaliation? What retaliation? Retaliation in a sexual harassment case results in a separate fine and up to triple damages – even if the actual sexual harassment is never proven. I’m not defending the jerk; I am pointing out the reality of the legalities that many here do not seem to understand.
I do think there is some truth to Parkers race being the difference. However, how does that explain the Bill Cosby allegations being ignored for so long? And if Hollywood is so liberal, full of such upstanding morally superior types, then explain why Polanski and Woody Allen continue to make movies with actors chomping at the bit to be part of? Bill Clintons allegations seem to be all but ignored, and they’re not just cheating allegations either. Yet Mel Gibson was pretty much shunned. People seem to pick and choose what is unforgivable when it comes to treatment of women. Based on color? Religion? Political affiliation? Don’t know. But it would be nice for a reporter to ask Casey about it. He should be held accountable.
Based on personality and connections and what “value” the accused has to any person, is my best guess. Admittedly white men will have more benefits of this is how it works
Does anyone know the ratio of women to men who vote for the Oscar winners?
Just looked it up. 76% male. 91 % white.
I know I point this out every time this subject comes up but while the final winners are voted by all members, which yes, is mostly white, mostly male, mostly older; the nominations are by field and the acting field is pretty much even gender wise.
Lightpurple, great point. I was just reporting statistics. I have followed the Oscars for 50 years. It is, of course an industry “club” , almost as if there were a more glamorous National Plumbers Organization. In its inception, it was never supposed to be representative of the entire culture. Of course, the awards became so followed nationally and internationally, and the demand grew for an academy that looks like the world. That’s a worthy goal, but it’s still just a pretty exclusive club with about 5,500 members. One of the more remarkable stats is that the average age of voters is 63. [ sadly, that’s younger than I am]
Oscar voters: 91% White, 76% men
http://graphics.latimes.com/oscars-2016-voters/
Polanski raped and committed sodomy against a 13-year old girl but was given an Oscar. Casey will be just fine with academy voters.
I do wonder though if the fact that this is the year following Oscars so White, and there is already the Parker situation, will that cause an unusual swing this year to at least appear fair and consistent and NOT reward Casey? It’s about how it looks, not how it is. They really want viewers this year to believe they have changed after last year.
I wonder how much Affleck is getting a pass because people feel sorry for the director Lonergan and how his last movie (Margaret) was a nightmare fight with producers and basically killed with limited distribution. I know Matt Damon has talked about how bad he felt for Lonergan (he worked on Margaret) and how producing this movie for him is trying to help make up for that. I can see Damon calling people up and actually using what happened with The Birth of a Nation (echoing what Gabrielle Union has said about how unfortunate it is everybody else’s hard work got buried under the Parker question) to argue that Lonergan doesn’t deserve to be punished and have his movie torpedoed because of what Casey may or may not have done working on his own production back in 2010.
Bob, this is exactly the kind of issue that [in my limited knowledge] truly does affect academy voters. It’s a club of people who share the ups and downs of the industry. Actors win for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, it’s even for giving the best performance.
What went on in the Affleck home that BOTH sons are either addicts or treat women like complete garbage? What is their family history? Was their father in the picture? Their mother? I know nothing about them but I’m curious to know why they BOTH grew up to be such gross men.
I thought exactly the same thing. I think their mother was a schoolteacher and the parents split when affleck was young because their father was an alcoholic. I don’t think they saw their father for a few years until he went through rehab and got clean and trained as an addiction counsellor.
I think he should be asked about the allegations and settlement. That’s fair.
I do think that white privilege exist in this case but I think that Nate Parker would have been able to survive and thrive if he hadn’t done that “get ahead of the story” interview. That interview went poorly and made him look terrible. I don’t think that they should be voting on Oscar’s based on personal crap anyway. If they like Nate Parker’s movie they should nominate it. If they like his performance in the movie that should nominate it.
Really creepy. This should’ve been reported on years ago, when it happened.
It was.
It actually got a lot of press at the time considering I don’t think your average movie-goer could pick Casey out of a line-up. This isn’t some secret that’s just coming out. Just like with Parker, the story has been out there a long time.
This is just the first time since then that Casey’s getting some mainstream attention.
He sounds like a terrible person – so this aw-shucks humble hipster guy thing he does is so disingenuous. And the fact the Hollywood covers up for guys like this, just because they’re cool or connected or whatever, is so gross. So tired of it.
I’m not understanding something, where are the rest of the accusers? Only one move, only two accusers? Seems odd. Men who harass women, harass women. Too scared to come forward because of the power of his famous brother, and bestie? “You’ll never work in this town again” fear?
Women need to stop calling their collective abuse a black/white thing. That’s a distraction//diversion from the truth. Read any international news. Read any U.S. news. Women of ever race, in every country, every creed get raped, groped, assaulted, verbally harassed. And way too much, while they are still children. This is a female sex issue. As soon as O.J.’s lawyers made his case about race, I knew what they were smartly doing, taking the spotlight off spousal abuse, and putting onto a sensitive nationwide issue. And they won. And Nicole lost. And women lost. Again. The abuse of women is a global issue. We are smarter than this. From now on, when an Anita Hill, Christina Aguilera, Amber Heard come forward, rally around them. Hit men where they live; their pockets. Stop watching football until the players are made to stop abusing their women, don’t see Manchester by the Sea, and I will expect that no women will be buying Dior this Christmas season. Men band together to protect their own, women need to stop seeing each other as the competition and start doing the same.
Go tell that to the 53% white women that voted Trump
Entirely unfair. It should be discussed.
Wow!! I read the Daily Beast piece and I will never look at this guy the same way again. Thank goodness it’s being reported on in places more people will see. What a sicko, aggressive, abuser Casey is. I think the last paragraph of the Daily beast piece is very important to remember because this film and Casey will be all over media with Oscar buzz and interviews. I hope the main news outlets aren’t permitted to have amnesia & Casey Affleck is put through the wringer.
“These types of allegations haven’t always acted as insurmountable obstacles to continued Hollywood success. Audiences have historically stood by men who have been accused of harassment, sexual assault, and abuse. But by selectively choosing which stars to put through the wringer, the media becomes complicit in this cycle of easy forgiveness and celebrity-related amnesia.”
I can think of a few reasons…
a)He’s white
b)He’s an already established actor
c)it happened in the past.
Now, you may argue that Nate Parker’s allegations (and a from a legal point they are) were in the past, but he had the other two things going against him. It seems like people in Hollywood/media only care about a white person’s allegations unless its something recent. Like with Mel Gibson, but even he is starting to make a comeback.
The outrage seems to be picking up steam on Twitter, at least.
Haha – perhaps like me, they’ve never heard of Casey Affleck? I didn’t know Ben had a brother until just now!
can’t believe he’s hosting SNL in 3 weeks
The answer is simple– Casey Affleck has the best publicists money can buy, while Nate Parker didn’t.
This is false equivalency of the worst kind. Both are egregious examples of how and why we tolerate the victimization of women, but trying to cram them both into the same Box o’ Outrage just makes it easier for the “that’s just locker room talk” crowd to rationalize and dismiss.
Case in point: Bill Cosby, who has (allegedly) drugged, assaulted and raped his way through life for the past 50+ years. While the hush money flowed, the media rather pointedly all but ignored it. And they would have been perfectly content continue to do so, had Hannibal Burress, a fellow black entertainer, not come out and straight-up called Cosby a rapist.
Only then did it somehow become okay, or “safe,” for the mainstream media to play catch up to what’s been an open secret in the entertainment industry for half a century.
Racism is absolutely at play here, but distilling it down to that sugarcoats a disturbing fact: it took just ONE man to legitimize, practically overnight, what dozens of women have been screaming into the void for years.
What drives society’s perception of the wealthy, powerful male predator in our midst is nearly always REALLY about what we think of his victim. Boiling it down to racism just makes it that much easier for an apathetic, rape-culture-peddling media to go on ignoring that.
I thought I was pretty up on gossip but I hadn’t heard about this until this week.
Also news to me: Casey Affleck is currently dating Floriana Lima, who plays Maggie Sawyer on Supergirl.