Harvey Weinstein isn’t the only Hollywood A-lister apologizing for inappropriate behavior this week. Oscar-winner (and current Batman) Ben Affleck apologized on Wednesday for a 2003 on-camera incident in which he allegedly groped actress and MTV’s Total Request Live host Hilarie Burton.
“I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize,” Affleck tweeted on Wednesday. Burton previously said that Affleck grabbed her breast when he went to hug her during an interview on TRL 14 years ago.
The incident resurfaced this week after Affleck issued a statement condemning Weinstein’s behavior in the wake of the deluge of sexual harassment and assault allegations against the Hollywood mogul. Affleck said he was “saddened and angry” over the allegations against Weinstein, who helped give Affleck and Matt Damon their big break with his involvement in 1997’s Good Will Hunting.
I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) October 11, 2017
After actress Rose McGowan (who is among Weinstein’s accusers) called out Affleck in a tweet earlier this week, some Twitter users brought up the 2003 incident. Burton responded from her own Twitter account, saying “I didn’t forget,” and posting video footage of her recounting the incident where she said Affleck grabbed her breast.
Affleck has come under fire for the incident in the fallout over the allegations mounted against Weinstein. In recent days, an increasing amount of women in Hollywood have come forward to call out a system in which powerful men use inappropriate behavior to take advantage of their positions in the industry. On Sunday, the board of directors fired Weinstein from The Weinstein Company, the company he co-founded, and companies like Apple and Amazon have even begun to rethink their working relationships with the film studio.
