Since his heyday, we haven't seen much of Brendan Fraser on the big screen. Just think, in the early 00s we had The Mummy, Crash, Bedazzled - the list goes on. He used to be the lead to countless blockbuster hits, whereas these days Fraser's very much under the radar.
One of the key reasons for his move out of the spotlight may have been revealed this week, as Fraser claimed in an interview with GQ he was sexually abused by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's former president Philip Berk.
Yesterday it was announced the allegations are now under investigation by the company behind the Golden Globes amid speculation over Berk's interaction with the actor.
In the interview, Fraser claimed his career 'withered on a vine' after he was allegedly groped by Berk at a HFPA luncheon event back in 2003, leaving him feeling 'miserable', 'depressed' and 'reclusive'.
"His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. And he starts moving it around. I felt ill," said Fraser. "I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry... In my mind, at least, something had been taken away from me."
Berk, who is still a member of the HFPA, previously tried to describe the incident as a joke in his 2014 memoir, and in a recent statement given to GQ, he added: "His career declined through no fault of ours."
According to a statement provided to the Telegraph, the organisation is investigating details surrounding the incident. "The HFPA is firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behaviour described in [the GQ] article.
"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. This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of."
Fraser has garnered support from various industry figures including actor and former athlete Terry Crews, who himself opened up about an alleged experience of sexual abuse last year. In a Tweet, he wrote:
While he's no longer the face of family cinema, Fraser is making moves on the small screen by starring in an upcoming series called Trust.
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Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: News, Brendan Fraser, US News
