Brendan Fraser has announced that he will not go to the Golden Globes gala due to the abuse he suffered by Philip Nerk, former president of the HFPA
american actor Brendan Fraser is one of the nominees for the 80th installment of the Globe Oro 2023. After a decade away from the screens, the actor returned to the cinema as the protagonist of ““The Whale”, a film from the production company A24 in which he plays a morbidly obese homosexual grieving and trying to reconnect with his daughter. His interpretation received six minutes of standing ovation at the Venice festival and now he starts as a favorite in all the pools of all the competitions. Fraser has announced that he will not go to the gala because Philip Berck, former president of the Foreign Press Academy Association in Hollywood, He sexually abused him and the organizers of the contest tried to hide it after his complaint.
The actor can take his first Oscar Prize thanks to his work in the new film of Darren Aronofsky"The whale«. Before playing the statuette, he will have his chance next January 10, 2023, In the Golden Globes granting the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The nominations have already been announced and his name is next to those of Austin Butler, Hugh Jackman, Bill Nighy and Jeremy Pope as best leading actors. However, Fraser is clear: he will not be at the gala.
Golden Globes surrounded by controversy
The Golden Globes They have been surrounded by controversy in recent years. In 2021, a report came to light that denounced the unethical practices carried out by the members of the association, accepting bribes in the form of gifts or trips. In addition, he highlighted the little diversity, since that select group only consisted of 86 journalists, mostly white men. The commotion was such that the NCB, in charge of broadcasting the ceremony, decided to cancel his contract. In an attempt to clean up its image, the HFPA opened the door to 21 new members, of whom 6 were African American. This was reason enough for some Hollywood stars decided to decline their invitation to the Golden Globes.
Brendan Fraser has another compelling reason. It happened in 2003, although the actor did not confess it until fifteen years later, during an interview. According to his version, the one who was president of the Foreign Press Academy Association in Hollywood, Philip Berk, would have abused him at an event. “His left hand reaches out, grabs my buttock, and one of his fingers touches my crotch. And she starts to move it. I felt like a little kid. I felt like I had a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry."he counted Fraser.
Brendan Fraser: “I will not participate"
According to his statements, the association tried to cover up the case and convince both of them to sign an agreement in which they accepted that it had all been a joke. Philip Berck. Despite everything, the journalist was not expelled from the HFPA until last year. Then an email was discovered in which he described the movement Black Lives Matter as "a racist hate group”. In addition, he accused the activist and artist Patrisse cullors of being a “trained self-proclaimed Marxist.”
Why the HFPA extension did not throw Berk after the original accusation of Fraser? "I think it was because it was too grosssaid the actor, adding that "for the moment” does not believe in any of the reforms that the HFPA extension has done in the last year. Fraser said he is willing to reconsider his relationship with the HFPA and the Golden Globes if they recognize the seriousness of the fact.
This incident has caused the refusal of Brendan Fraser Golden Globes. "I will not participate. I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. And my mother did not raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that", assured the convinced actor to the media. Taking into account the controversies that have surrounded the awards, we do not know if his will be the only great absence.
The ceremony will be held on January 10.
