With the news of Harvey Weinstein sexual assault scandal making headlines and creating uproar in the industry, a new video showing Justice League star Ben Affleck misbehaving with a reporter has surfaced online to add to the chaos.
Days after the actor issued a statement regarding the Weinstein sexual assault case, a new video has surfaced accusing the Batman actor of sexually harassing a reporter live on camera. Though the actor took matters into his hands quickly and apologised for the act that took place in the early 2000s, the mistake could impact Justice League.
Before we get into the details, let's run through how things escalated from his statement to the expose.
On October 10, Affleck took to Twitter to condemn Weinstein's misuse of power against budding actresses in the industry. After many actresses spoke out against his actions, numerous stars took to social media platforms to put out their thoughts. Little did Affleck know that his condemn would dig out some old buried secrets.
Soon after he shared a screenshot of his condemn note from Facebook, a fan pointed out that he once misbehaved with reporter Hilarie Burton, which many forgot. Though the tweet might have got lost in the world of internet, Burton responded to that tweet stating, "I didn't forget."
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) October 10, 2017
I didn't forget.
— Hilarie Burton (@HilarieBurton) October 10, 2017
I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) October 11, 2017
Though the actor apologised, celebrity makeup artist Annamarie Tendler claims that Affleck grabbed his ass at the Golden Globes party in 2014. She recalled the incident and said, "He walked by me, cupped my butt and pressed his finger into my crack. I guess he tried to play it like he was politely moving me out of the way and oops touched my butt instead of my lower back? Like most women in these situations, I didn't say anything but I have thought a lot about what I'd say if I ever saw him again."
I would also love to get an apology from Ben Affleck who grabbed my ass at a Golden Globes party in 2014.
— Annamarie Tendler (@amtendler) October 11, 2017
Though Affleck hasn't responded to the accusation, the question that arises in this situation: Will his past haunt the box office collections of Justice League? Comicbook.com believes it won't. The website writes that the film is not just Affleck-starrer but many other big stars are involved.
His act might not majorly impact the tickets sales. Yes, it might piss some potential viewers but DC Extended Universe can bank upon the popularity of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa's Aquaman, Ray Fisher's Cyborg and LGBTQ actor Ezra Miller to make this movie a successful run.
On Twitter, fans have mixed reactions to his apology. "He made a mistake, I am not diminishing what he might have done, but it is important to acknowledge it," a Twitter user wrote. "I respect ya for making an apology, rather quickly, too. It shows you aren't afraid to face yer past and admit it was a stupid thing to do," said another.
Many others called out the actor for apologising 14 years after the incident took place and issued the statement only after the reporter pointed it out. It is to now see how the situation turns out for Warner Bros and DCEU.
Video showing Ben Affleck groping Hilarie Burton on TRL
Justice League releases on November 17.
