Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, racism and antisemitism.
In July 2010, two women filed a $2m lawsuit against actor Casey Affleck, alleging repeated instances of sexual harassment from Affleck as they worked together on his directorial debut. The allegations included accusations of verbal abuse and physical intimidation, including one instance where a plaintiff complained that Affleck snuck into bed with her while she slept, curling up next to her and touching her without her consent. This case was settled out of court.
Affleck is now nominated for Best Actor at this year’s Oscars.
In July 2006, actor-director Mel Gibson was arrested for driving under the influence and speeding, wherein he went on a drunken tirade to the arresting officer about how “the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?” (The arresting officer, who he also called “sugartits” was indeed Jewish). After the tape of his arrest was leaked to TMZ, Gibson went on the expected apology tour, then, in June 2010, Gibson’s ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva filed a restraining order against him, alleging domestic abuse. A month later, audio recordings alleged to be of Gibson threatening his girlfriend and spewing yet more bigoted tirades leaked online. In March 2011, Gibson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour battery charge.
This year, Gibson is nominated for Best Director and Best Picture for his film Hacksaw Ridge.
Both men have benefited from the structures in place in both Hollywood and our society in general that reduced their crimes to mere bumps in the road for a redemption narrative. The industry has been happy to help them both with this journey: For Affleck, by trying to suppress the accusations, and for Gibson, by including them front and centre as part of his ‘route to forgiveness.’
During the same Sundance Film Festival where Affleck’s film, Manchester by the Sea, premiered and began his Oscar narrative, Nate Parker’s Birth of a Nation won the Grand Jury Prize, and was then acquired by Fox Searchlight for $17.5m. Soon thereafter, rape accusations made against Parker re-emerged into public consciousness: In college, Parker and co-writer of Birth of a Nation Jean Celestin were accused of raping a fellow student while she was drunk and unconscious. Parker was acquitted, but the victim committed suicide in 2012. While Parker tried to pre-emptively deal with the inevitable PR fallout while promoting the film, the damage was done, and the press and public took a clear stand against Parker by refusing to support the film or give him an easy ride when trying to deflect questions. The film was a box office flop and received no Oscar nominations. Men of colour face the justified consequences in a way white men seldom do.
Men of colour face the justified consequences in a way white men seldom do.
For Gibson, his numerous discrepancies were harder to avoid. For one, we can all Google the DUI videos and leaked recordings. His mugshot still comes up on the first page of his image search. Gibson also did face some repercussions for his past, because for several years, Hollywood wouldn’t touch him. So why the reversal? Simple – in Hollywood, Gibson has many friends, and they’re all in high places. Jodie Foster has been one of his strongest defenders, as well as industry favourites like Danny Glover and Richard Donner. His films are popular and profitable, he has actors in his corner fighting for him, and there’s nothing Hollywood likes more than a success story. Much of Gibson’s past has been written off by Hollywood as a side effect of alcoholism, which makes it easier to sell Gibson as a swell guy with some problems rather than a habitual abuser and bigot.
Much of Gibson’s past has been written off by Hollywood as a side effect of alcoholism, which makes it easier to sell Gibson as a swell guy with some problems rather than a habitual abuser and bigot.
This trend is nothing new. Hollywood and its white male dominated power structures has always defended its own and shown a willingness to forgive that moves far beyond the boundaries of mere generosity. Just look at Roman Polanski getting a Best Director Oscar several decades after fleeing America to avoid being charged with drugging and raping a 13 year old girl. However, there’s something especially insidious about the domination of Affleck and Gibson in this year’s Oscar race, mere months after Donald Trump’s “grab them by the pussy” bragging. The domination of misogyny, anti-Semitism and various displays of bigotry isn’t just the norm – it’s the marker of power. “Locker room talk” becomes a mere side-effect of getting the job done. Affleck and Gibson are both set to return to work in front of and behind the camera this year, and with industry approved bearers of merit under their belts, who knows how emboldened they will be to continue business as usual.
BTW, at least Trump is forthcoming about his attitudes, affairs and similar, in contrast to the Clintons. The Clintons enable the current system and it would continue without having rare persons as brash as Trump. My understanding is that Trump and Clinton are head-to-head when compared to what Clinton says on the golf course. I respect Warren.
It’s sad and someone/some people need to call out and mobilize against Hollywood, akin to the recent march. It’s inherently flawed and the normalizing of sexism is nauseating, among other things. This includes boycotting the awards shows and asking how a self-respecting person can celebrate the sickening institution. Let’s have the men dress in heels and announce what designer they’re wearing while modeling they’re chest and legs, for instance.