Berk, who has admitted to pinching Fraser's behind, denied that the incident went beyond that, saying, "Mr. Fraser's version is a total fabrication.". hollywood foreign press association Brendan Fraser nabs Golden Globe nomination despite vowing not to attend December 12, 2022 | 11:14am The 53-year-old has vowed to boycott the ceremony. Lorenzo Soria has been re-elected president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for the 2016-2017 year. However it's possible that this might send a message to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, especially since Cruise isn't known for protests, while HFPA is known for monopolizing the time of leading entertainers. And despite having several former and active members who are people of color, according to Variety, the organization hasn't had a Black member since 2002. Since May, members have shown their commitment to creating a reimagined HFPA. Peter Jackson seems to confirm Weinstein blacklisted Mira Sorvino, Ashley Judd. 01:57. Berk, who is still a member of the HFPA, also did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment but has denied the assault ever happened to The New York Times. One member confused Daniel Kaluuya for another Black actor, Leslie Odom Jr., just minutes after Kaluuya's Oscar win, while a former Hollywood Foreign Press president was expelled from the group . There have also been numerous claims that voters are easily swayed. Fraser then said he removed Berks hand and immediately left the event. Fraser's story is a reminder that while sexual misconduct is disproportionately experienced by women, it can happen to anyone, regardless of gender or sexuality. Vote for your favorite beauty products now! Berk has continued to work with the HFPA, which the organization said was a "positive working relationship." Brendan Fraser was sexually assaulted in 2003 by Phil Berk, the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that hosts the Golden Globes. Fraser also surmised his career may have suffered . The actor said he told his then-wife, Afton Smith, about the incident, but did not speak publicly about it until this week. His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. The 2003 Iraq War resulted in some 200,000 to 250,000 civilian deaths, including over 16,000 directly killed by the U.S. military, and left more than a million homeless.The United States has created 37 million refugees around the world. In response to the cancellation, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association released a new and improved timeline of the "transformational changes" they plan to implement, noting that they will happen "regardless of the next air date of the Golden Globes.". Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Fraser, for his part, told the magazine he decided not to go public with his story because he was afraid of "it becoming part of my narrative." Fraser said that at the time, he panicked: "I felt ill. For transparencys sake, along with Hoehne, the current HFPA board includes Gabriel Lerman, Sabrina Joshi, Yukiko Nakajima, Scott Orlin, Kirpi Uimonen, Henry Arnaud, Barbara de Oliveira Pinto, Barbara Gasser, Tina Johnk Christensen, Greet Ramaekers and Armando Gallo. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press . Berkclaims he had written a letter to Fraser about the incident claiming that he had done no wrong. Johansson's"Avengers" co-star Mark Ruffalo has also voiced criticism of the HFPA, claiming that "honestly, as a recent winner of a Golden Globe, I cannot feel proud or happy about being a recipient of this award," per the BBC. Brendan Fraser (left) accused former Hollywood Foreign Press President Philip Berk of groping him in 2003. I felt ill, he said, recalling his emotions after he removed Berks hand. The actor said he refused to sign, because he "didn't get the joke." Absolutely," he said. "I didn't want to contend with how that made me feel, or it becoming part of my narrative," he said. LOS ANGELES Brendan Fraser is joining the #MeToo movement, coming forward on Thursday with allegations of sexual assault by an ex-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The actor immediately left the luncheon and went home to his wife, who he said he told about the interaction. President Lorenzo Soria, who oversaw the organization that puts on the annual Golden Globe Awards, has died. "I felt like a little kid. Brendan Fraser says the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which runs the Golden Globes, pressured him to downplay his allegation that its former president, Philip Berk, groped him in. The alleged incident left Fraser overcome with panic and fear. Members receive payments for writing for HFPA's website and for working at the annual grants dinner in addition to the payments they receive for serving on the committees. Fraser said the moment still haunts him, especially, for instance, when he sees Berk on the television during the Golden Globes. According to Fraser, former HFPA President Phillip Berk assaulted him following a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. While there may seem like an over-saturation of award shows in 2021, at the time, they wouldn't have had any other awards shows to compete with, other than the Academy Awards and a few critics groups. Golden Globes voters in tumult: Members accuse Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. I thought I was going to cry. In the same interview, Fraser claimed that he was sexually assaulted by Philip Berk, a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, in 2003. Brendan Fraser was at the peak of his career when he was sexually abused by Philip Berk, a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), as revealed in an interview published by GQ on Thursday. or redistributed. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. In response, entertainers have also stated that they will "refrain from any HFPA sanctioned events." There was also an incident in 1999, when HFPA members were gifted $400 Coach watches by USA Films. The HFPA's board members are also paid, making "between $63,433 and $135,957 in the tax year ending June 30, 2019. The incident happened in public at a summer luncheon held by the HFPA (which hosts the Golden Globes annually). Through his reps, Fraser did request a written apology from the HFPA, and Berk told GQ that he did write Fraser a letter but never admitted any wrongdoing. Brendan Fraser is the latest actor to come forward with his story of sexual assault in the wake of the #MeToo and Times Up movements. Fraser previously accused former HFPA President Philip Berk of sexually harassing him at a luncheon in Beverly Hills in 2003, which Berk denies. Write to Abigail Abrams at abigail.abrams@time.com. (Reps for Fraser and the HFPA did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment). "Maybe I am over-reacting in terms of what the instance was. Fraser refused to sign off on the joint statement and maintained, "I don't get the joke.". HOLLYWOOD, CA Lorenzo Soria, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association which presents the Golden Globes each year, died at age 68 on Friday. Is it ever okay to ask a woman especially one who's publicly undergone IVF if she's pregnant? In addition to recognizing 2021's best in film and . But when they first organized, they still weren't taken too seriously, and mostly all they did was "meet at various members' homes to share information." In the 21st century, according to the Golden Globes, "HFPA members attend more than 300 interviews and countless movie and television screenings throughout each year." But at the time, his reps did askthe HFPA for a written apology from Berk, and received one, though Berk says his apology admitted no wrongdoing. Hoehne was one of the trio of HFPA leaders who took the stage at the less-than-stellar hybrid Globes on February 28 to address the growing discontent with a pledge of basically trust us. Which few did, to put it mildly. Fraser also shared that he wonders if the HFPA retaliated against him after the incident by depriving him of Golden Globes invitations or other professional opportunities. Philip Berk, a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for the past 44 years and an eight-term past president of the group behind the Golden Globe Awards, has been expelled from . I felt like there was a ball in my throat. In a group email with HFPA members, Berk reportedly. In a recent statement with GQ, Berk called Fraser's story "a total fabrication." Berk reached out to shake The Mummy actor's hand. Member Judy Soloman claims that this is "because nobody applied," but this is a lie, according to The Wrap, which alleges that a Black journalist's application was rejected in 2013. As Vox puts it, foreign journalists felt like they were being shut out compared to local journalists, which they likely were due to xenophobic discrimination during World War II. Market data provided by Factset. Berk wrote in his memoir that he did so in jest, but Fraser remembers the incident much differently. That last bit is, of course, the trial balloon in what the HFPA hopes will be clearer skies now that it has passed a series of bylaws and other much-needed reforms. Absolutely. Fraser said that the alleged assault left him feeling "ill," "like a little kid," and "like someone had thrown invisible paint on me." "His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint," Fraser told GQ. As the Golden Globes-presenting group hopes to find its way back into a Tinseltown power position, old-guarder Hoehne has her work cut out for her especially with NBC having pulled the plug on the 2022 Globes in May as the organization became mired in more and more controversy over its members/ behavior and its lack of a single Black member. Am I still frightened? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Screenrant reports that WarnerMedia also joined the boycott and in their official press release, "called the HFPA out for a history of sexist, racist, and homophobic questions directed at actors and creatives at past press events.". But the silence was deafening, he said, adding that he was rarely invited back to the Globes after 2003. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. As a member of the HFPA since 1989, he previously served as president in 2003-05. Why do some of us start later than others? In an interview with GQ, Brendan Fraser alleged that Philip Berk, former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), groped him. Berk has repeatedly claimed that all he did was jokingly pinch Fraser's butt. Now the new president is hoping for a clean slate. And he starts moving it around," the actor said. With a group of 21 other journalists, their hope was to pool their knowledge and "formalize their relationship with the studios" in the hopes of making it easier to work on film journalism. ", Andrea is an entertainment producer at CBSNews.com, First published on June 7, 2018 / 2:27 PM. "I felt ill. For many journalists, the HFPA has always had a "terrible reputation," and the news that it's a self-involved clique wasn't too surprising. In an interview with GQ published Thursday, Fraser said that he was groped in 2003 by Philip Berk, a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the organization that hosts the Golden Globes. Previously on the HFPAs Board of Directors from 2012-19, frequent German TV contributor Hoehne is one of the current board members. Fraser's account is disconcertingly reminiscent of reports from women in Hollywood who have spoken out about experiencing professional retaliation after being harassed or assaulted. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) addressed their controversial diversity issue, namely the fact that the organization currently has no Black members, during Sunday night's broadcast. Throughout its history, the HFPA membership has never gone over 100, and as of May 2021 there are 86 members. Berk says he just "pinched" the actor. It will be his second straight year as head of the organization. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. Brendan Fraser (left) accused former Hollywood Foreign Press President Philip Berk of groping him in 2003. April 19, 2021 3:30 PM PT. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. ", In response to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's inability to come up with effective reforms, both Netflix and Amazon stated that they would be boycotting the 2022 Golden Globe Awards. The story he wants to relay took place, he says, in the summer of 2003, in the Beverly Hills Hotel, at a luncheon held by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that hosts the . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) on Sunday announced the winners of the 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards, from the Beverly Hilton. Have I wanted to many, many times? Forbes also mentions that with "anemic ratings and dwindling ad dollars," it's unclear if the Golden Globes is even worth the $60 million NBC pays to license the show. Between 2002 and 2018, only five Golden Globe Awards had at least one BIPOC acting winner. "By the end of 2020, the association was collectively paying nearly $100,000 a month to members serving on more than a dozen different committees." The incident took place at a luncheon hosted by the association, and Fraser alleges that when Berk reached out to shake his hand, the man instead grabbed Frasers butt. "And he starts moving it around." "His left-hand reaches around grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. LOS ANGELES Brendan Fraser is joining the #MeToo movement, coming forward on Thursday with allegations of sexual assault by an ex-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. And as soon as the HFPA had done the bare minimum, they were back in NBC's good graces. We've shared the results of that investigation with Mr. Fraser, and again apologized, but also conveyed our need to abide by the investigation's finding that the exchange was not an intended sexual advance. of self-dealing, ethical lapses. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. An email sent Sunday by a former Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. All rights reserved. This announcement came at the heels of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's (HFPA) inability to come up with adequate reforms to address the various criticisms levied at the organization. Still, for all the moves to bring in new members, diversity advisers, potential new leadership and administrators like an actual CEO, CFO, Chief Human Resource Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, the fact is that power player General Counsel/Chief Operating Officer George Goeckner remains firmly in place at the HFPA at least for now. Then, he said, the HFPA asked him to sign a joint statement saying the investigation found that Berk touched Fraser inappropriately but "the evidence supports that it was intended to be taken as a joke and not as a sexual advance.". This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident.. Over the years we've continued a positive working relationship with Brendan, which includes announcing Golden Globe nominees, attending the ceremony and participating in press conferences. In an interview with GQ published Thursday, Fraser said that he was groped in 2003 by Philip Berk, a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the organization. "His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. Brendan Fraser claims he was groped in 2003 by Philip Berk, then president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, an experience Fraser says left him depressed and miserable. "If I've done anything that upset Mr. Fraser, it was not intended," he said in the statement. I felt like a little kid. ", Kourtney Kardashian Shut Down a Fan Who Asked If She's Pregnant and Ignited a Debate About Women's Bodies. Members ended up returning the watches in response to the criticism regarding the gifts, while USA Films claimed that "the studio got the watches for free and didn't realize how expensive they were.". IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. I felt like someone had thrown invisible paint on me., Though he told his wife, Afton, about what had happened at the time, Fraser told GQs Zach Baron that he didnt have the courage to speak up earlier, for risk of humiliation, or damage to my career.. And he starts moving it around. HFPA also maintained that Berk, a 41-year member of HFPA and eight-term former president, faced no disciplinary action and was going to remain an active member of the HFPA. According to Fraser, though, it wasn't a joke, and he was overcome with fear and had to remove Berk's hand. Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. What to Know About Michelle Wolf the 2018 WHCA Dinner Host, Underwater Noise Pollution Is Disrupting Ocean LifeBut We Can Fix It. And he starts moving it around, Fraser told GQ, adding that he felt overwhelmed with panic and fear. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital The HFPA stands firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behavior described in this article, the associated said in an official statement. Varietyadds that there's infighting among active HFPA members in terms of "how to reform and how to respond to its critics. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced the re-election of Helen Hoehne to another term as president.According to the HFPA's press release, Hoehne won by "an overwhelming margin." In a new GQ profile titled What Ever Happened To Brendan Fraser?,the actor remembers being groped byPhilip Berk in the summer of 2003. He believes it's partly why his career derailed, and said: "The phone does stop ringing in your career, and you start asking yourself why. And the pattern of men in power hurting the careers of those they have harassed or assaulted is in no way unique to the entertainment industry. president criticizing Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors and likening BLM to a hate group . Absolutely., Berk responded to Frasers story by telling GQ it is a total fabrication. He admitted to writing a letter to Fraser about the incident but said his apology admitted no wrongdoing.. Biography [ edit] Soria was born in Argentina to Italian parents who left the country during World War II. "Do I feel like I need to say something? Then, in April 2021, he was expelled from the organization after sending an article that described Black Lives Matters as a "racist hate movement" to HFPA members.