Casey Affleck Won’t Present Best Actress Award At 2018 Oscars After Harassment Allegations

Casey Affleck has officially withdrawn from presenting one of the top prizes at this year’s Academy Awards.

Casey Affleck 2018 Oscars News

The 42-year-old actor, who won his first Best Actor Oscar in 2017 for his performance in Manchester by the Sea, would be expected to hand the Best Actress statue this year at the 90th Oscars, as is tradition.

The tradition of one year’s Best Actor winner presenting the following year’s Best Actress Award — and vice-versa — has typically been followed but has been broken on some occasions.

At the 81st Oscars, for example, each of the four acting awards were presented by a quintet of past Academy Award Winners. Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd — who are producing this year’s ceremony — have reportedly been thinking of breaking tradition to present this year’s acting awards as well.

Affleck was accused of sexual harassment by two women who worked with him on the set of the 2010 film I’m Still Here. The actor, younger brother of Oscar winner Ben Affleck, starred, directed and co-wrote the mockumentary film about actor Joaquin Phoenix’s desire to pursue a music career. Casey Affleck reached a settlement with both women out of court after the pair filed lawsuits against him.

The allegations, which were long ignored by the media and denied by Affleck and those closest to the actor, resurfaced during last year’s awards season, but Affleck still went on to win the Golden Globe, BAFTA and Oscar for Manchester by the Sea. 

Given the strength of the #Metoo movement and the long list of stars who have expressed support for organizations like Time’s Up via donations or otherwise, it does not come as much of a surprise that Affleck won’t be taking the stage at the ceremony this year. A petition was launched in November in an attempt to bar the actor from presenting at the 2018 Oscars.

At last year’s Oscars, some celebrities notably didn’t clap for Affleck upon hearing his name read for Best Actor, among them Brie Larson, who presented the award. Larson, who won an Oscar for her role in the 2015 drama Room, has been a fierce advocate against sexual harassment and assault.

Affleck, a Boston native, was recently mocked on Saturday Night Live in a sketch involving celebrities pitching their home city as a possible selection for Amazon’s new headquarters.

BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 28: The Walt Disney Studios hosted a special 3D IMAX Screening of the Finest Hours for the US Coast Guard and local family, friends and supporters of the movie which was filmed in Quincy MA. Casey Affleck attends the screening of THE FINEST HOURS on January 28, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images for Allied Integrated Marketing)