Casey Affleck has confirmed that he will not be attending the Oscars this year.
The decision breaks the long-standing tradition of the previous year's Best Actor winner presenting this year's award for Best Actress. Affleck won in 2017 for his role in Manchester by the Sea.
As Deadline reports, the actor did not want to detract from the attention that should be given to the nominated actresses for their performances.
Many had speculated in recent weeks as to whether or not Affleck would attend the ceremony in the wake of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements.
Affleck's nomination was criticized by many last year due to allegations about his behaviour while filming I'm Not Here in 2010. Two young female employees alleged that he intimidated and sexually harassed them, and sued the actor for sexual harassment and breach of contract. The parties settled out of court.
Affleck addressed the allegations after his Oscar win in 2017.
"I believe that any kind of mistreatment of anyone for any reason is unacceptable and abhorrent, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect in the workplace and anywhere else," he said. "There's really nothing I can do about it.... Other than live my life the way I know I live it and to speak to what my own values are and how I try to live by them all the time."
The 2018 Academy Awards will be handed out on March 4. See the full list of this year's nominees here.
The decision breaks the long-standing tradition of the previous year's Best Actor winner presenting this year's award for Best Actress. Affleck won in 2017 for his role in Manchester by the Sea.
As Deadline reports, the actor did not want to detract from the attention that should be given to the nominated actresses for their performances.
Many had speculated in recent weeks as to whether or not Affleck would attend the ceremony in the wake of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements.
Affleck's nomination was criticized by many last year due to allegations about his behaviour while filming I'm Not Here in 2010. Two young female employees alleged that he intimidated and sexually harassed them, and sued the actor for sexual harassment and breach of contract. The parties settled out of court.
Affleck addressed the allegations after his Oscar win in 2017.
"I believe that any kind of mistreatment of anyone for any reason is unacceptable and abhorrent, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect in the workplace and anywhere else," he said. "There's really nothing I can do about it.... Other than live my life the way I know I live it and to speak to what my own values are and how I try to live by them all the time."
The 2018 Academy Awards will be handed out on March 4. See the full list of this year's nominees here.