On December 12, “The Whale” star Brendan Fraser snagged a Best Actor nomination for the 2023 Golden Globes for his performance in the film. But back in November, the 54-year-old actor spoke out against the awards show and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization that selects and governs the Golden Globes. in one GQ In an interview, Fraser stated that even if he were nominated for his role, he would not attend the ceremony.
“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” Fraser told the outlet. “No, I will not participate. It’s because of the history I have with them. And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite.
Back in 2018, in another GQ In an interview, Fraser publicly shared allegations against former HFPA President Philip Berk. Fraser claimed that Berk groped and assaulted him at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2003. Berk has disputed Fraser’s account.
Four years ago, when Fraser’s allegations broke, the HFPA said in a statement: “The HFPA stands firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behavior described in this article.” The organization added: “This report contains alleged information which the HFPA was not previously aware of, and at this time we are investigating further details related to the incident.” Fraser spoke to the independent investigator but told GQ in his most recent interview that the HFPA came back with a joint statement that they shared could publish. According to Fraser, the explanation would read: “Although it has been established that Mr. Berk inappropriately touched Mr. Fraser, the evidence suggests that this should be taken as a joke and not as a sexual advance.” Fraser would not sign it and Berk stayed with the organization.
“I knew they were going to close ranks,” Fraser told GQ in November. “I knew they were going to kick the can out in the street. I knew they would be ahead of history. I knew I certainly had no future with this system as it was.” The HFPA did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR’s request for comment on Fraser’s recent comments.
Eventually there was a major reshuffle at the HFPA, but not because of Fraser’s allegations. 2021, the LA Times revealed that the HFPA had no black members. The publication also exposed many ethical and financial conflicts within the organization. The news came not long after the 2021 nominees were announced and was widely derided for their lack of diversity, particularly the exclusion of films and TV shows about black people. Berk was expelled from the organization in April 2021 after emailing members with an article calling Black Lives Matter a “racist hate movement.”
NBC announced in May 2021 that the network would no longer air the Golden Globes and the ceremony would not air in 2022. But NBC changed course for the upcoming ceremony in 2023 and will air it on Jan. 10 in accordance with a one-year deal with the organization. This decision was in response to changes made by the HFPA. The HFPA said it added 103 voters, making 51.5 percent of voters “racially and ethnically diverse”; Black voters now make up 10 percent of the eligible voter. The organization also introduced more rules for giving gifts and announced donations to charity.
Fraser told GQ that “at the moment” he doesn’t believe in the HFPA’s announced reforms. “Maybe time will tell,” he said. He said the organization never apologized to him, although the HFPA told GQ they had apologized twice. Berk told GQ in 2018 that he wrote a letter to Fraser about the incident but did not admit to “wrongdoing.” Fraser said if the HFPA wanted to make amends he would want it to be “sincere”, but he added that he was not the only person who felt the group had treated him unfairly and that people had trusted him. “I would expect it to be something that would be meaningful to them as well,” he said.
Image Source: Getty / Mike Marsland