Videos of Morgan Freeman making inappropriate comments to female journalists emerge online

Sophie Williams29 May 2018

Videos of Morgan Freeman's inappropriate comments to female journalists have been posted online after he released a statement denying sexual assault.

Entertainment Tonight has released the footage after finding it in their archives. In one clip he asks a female journalist if she is married before then asking "do you fool around with older guys?"

In a statement on Friday, the actor said he liked to compliment women but had never sexually assaulted them.

The footage was taken in 2016 when he was being interviewed by Ashley Crawson.

In a statement on Friday, Mr Freeman said that "it is not right to equate horrific incidents of sexual assault with misplaced compliments or humour."

Another video released by Entertainment Today showed their correspondent Janet Mock interviewing Mr Freeman in 2015.

The 80-year-old Hollywood star was accused of repeatedly behaving in ways that made women feel uncomfortable on film sets in a CNN investigation
REUTERS

He tells her: "I don't know how you all manage to do that all the time. You've got a dress that's halfway between your knee and your hips and you sit down right across from me and you cross your legs..."

Ms Mock recently told Entertainment Today: "I was deeply disappointed that someone who was seen as America's grandfather was susceptible to such disturbing behaviour and felt comfortable enough to do that as cameras were rolling."

Visa has announced that it is suspending its marketing that features Mr Freeman's voice.

The actor said: "I admit that I am someone who feels a need to try and make women, and men, feel appreciated and at ease around me.

"As a part of that, I would often try to joke with and compliment women, in what I thought was a light-hearted and humorous way. Clearly I was not always coming across the way I intended."

The actor said that he did not assault women, create unsafe work environments or offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex.

He added: "I am devastated that 80 years of my life is at risk of being undermined in the blink of an eye."

Additional reporting by PA.

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