Oscar winner Morgan Freeman apologizes for his sexual misconduct

Another high-prolific actor has entered the ranks of the #METOO in Hollywood- Morgan Freeman.

At least eight women have accused Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman of subjecting them to inappropriate behaviour or harassment on film sets or at promotional events, CNN reported on Thursday.

As part of its investigation of the 80-year-old actor, CNN said it had spoken with 16 people, some of whom also alleged inappropriate behaviour by Freeman at his production company, Revelations Entertainment.

Freeman said in a statement that he was sorry to anyone who had been made to feel uncomfortable or disrespected.

“Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy,” he said. “I apologise to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent.”

The CNN quoted a young production assistant who says Morgan harassed her over a period of months in the summer of 2015, while she was working on his bank heist comedy Going in Style.

She accuses Freeman of touching her repeatedly, resting his hand on her lower back or rubbing her lower back without permission, and frequently making comments about her appearance. The woman said Freeman, who turns 80 next week, continually tried to lift her skirt and kept asking if she was wearing underwear.

Actor Alan Arkin “made a comment telling him to stop. Morgan got freaked out and didn’t know what to say,” the woman said.

A senior member of the Now You See Me (2013) production staff told CNN team members knew “not to wear any top that would show our breasts, not to wear anything that would show our bottoms,” or any fitted clothes, if Freeman was coming by them.

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Following the CNN report, credit card company Visa said in a statement that it was suspending its “marketing in which the actor is featured.” Freeman has been the longtime voice of Visa television advertisements.

A torrent of accusations of sexual misconduct against male actors, filmmakers and agents have roiled Hollywood since last fall, leading in some cases to resignations and the halting of projects.

Similar accusations have also engulfed powerful men in U.S. politics and business and inspired a #MeToo social media movement by people publicly sharing their stories of sexual harassment or abuse.

CNN reported that eight people told the network they were victims of what some labelled harassment and others called inappropriate behaviour by Freeman. It said eight others told the network that they witnessed the actor’s alleged misconduct.

CNN also reported that other sources denied having seen any questionable behaviour by the actor and that those sources described him as behaving professionally on set and in the office.

Freeman, whose career has spanned 50 years and more than 100 movies, won an Oscar in 2005 as best supporting actor for his role as a former boxer in Million Dollar Baby.

Freeman is the latest in a litany of Hollywood celebrities and other high-profile public figures accused of sexual misconduct since revelations about alleged serial abuser Harvey Weinstein sparked the #MeToo movement last year.

He is also accused of staring at women’s breasts, asking a woman how she felt about sexual harassment and asking women to twirl for him.