Casey Affleck, the winner of the 2017 Academy Award for best actor, has withdrawn from this year’s awards ceremony and will no longer present the Oscar for best actress.
Casey Affleck Withdraws From Oscars: Won’t Present Best Actress Award https://t.co/v9EGnMM0R1 pic.twitter.com/mJlZN719V0
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) January 25, 2018
Traditionally, the previous year’s best actor winner presents the Oscar to the following year’s best actress recipient. However, Affleck has reportedly chosen to drop out so as not to cause a distraction from the performances of the nominated actresses or the ongoing #MeToo movement within Hollywood.
Allegations that Affleck had acted inappropriately on the set of the 2010 film I’m Still Here resurfaced during last year’s awards season, clouding his best actor win for his role in Manchester by the Sea. Two women working on the film filed civil suits against Affleck accusing him of sexual harassment. Affleck denied the charges, and the suits were settled out of court and dismissed.
Unsurprisingly, given the current social climate, people had already begun to criticize Affleck’s purported participation in this year’s Oscars ceremony. In response to his withdrawal, an Academy spokesperson issued a statement, saying, “We appreciate the decision to keep the focus on the show and the great work of this year.”
One of this year’s best actress nominees, Meryl Streep, has also come under fire as of late for not speaking up sooner about the extensive assault and abuse carried out by her good friend Harvey Weinstein. However, if she wins the best actress Oscar, chances are the liberal media will completely overlook her hypocrisy – and she’ll undoubtedly give another speech criticizing President Donald Trump, like she did at last year’s Golden Globe Awards.
It’s unclear who will present the best actress award in place of Affleck. At the 81st Oscars, a group of past winners presented each of the acting awards. However, Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd, the producers of this year’s show, could opt to buck tradition altogether.
Do you think it was right of Casey Affleck to drop out of the Oscars? Why or why not? Share your comments below!
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