Brendan Fraser said he wants to ‘go forward’ following his claims that he was sexually assaulted.
The Mummy actor previously claimed that the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Phillip Berk touched him inappropriately during an HFPA lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2003.
The 49-year-old has now said that he feels ‘optimistic’ about the change that is happening throughout Hollywood in regards to sexual harassment.
‘t just spoke my truth,’ he told E! News. ‘A lot can happen and it’s important to unburden yourself with the things you just don’t need anymore.’
He added: ‘I can go forward now and I feel good that I was inspired by others with courage and I was able to speak what I needed to say and it’s a new time. It’s a new era and I think some change that’s good is going to come about. I’m optimistic. I’m hopeful.’
Last month, the Mummy actor claimed that Philip had left him feeling ‘ill’ after the alleged incident.
He told GQ magazine: ‘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.’
Initially overcome with fear, Fraser alleges he was eventually able to remove Berk’s hand.
He said: ‘I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry.
‘I felt like someone had thrown invisible paint on me.’
Fraser said he rushed out of the hotel and passed a police officer on his way, but admitted he could not bring himself to report it.
The actor considered going public with the assault at the time, but decided against it as he did not want it to become ‘part of [his] narrative’.
Fraser’s reps later wrote a letter to the HFPA demanding an apology for Berk’s behaviour.
Berk admitted he did write a letter to Fraser following the incident but insisted: ‘My apology admitted no wrongdoing, the usual “If I’ve done anything that upset Mr. Fraser, it was not intended and I apologise”.’
He also described Fraser’s version of events as a ‘fabrication’.
A hugely popular actor in the 1990s and the 2000s, Fraser has had a smaller public profile in recent years and said the incident with Berk made him become more reclusive.
Fraser is not the first male actor to accuse a Hollywood heavyweight of sexual assault.
Brooklyn Nine Nine actor Terry Crews filed a lawsuit against Adam Venit, the head of William Morris Endeavor’s motion picture group after claiming Venit groped him at an industry event in 2006.
Venit was given a 30-day suspension from WME after the accusations, which he strongly denies.
Giving a statement to Metro.co.uk, the HFPA said they condemn all forms of sexual harassment and are currently investigating the claims.
More: Sexual harassment
‘The HFPA stands firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behavior described in this 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,’ it read.
‘This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident.’
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