UPDATED 3:20 p.m. ET: Ben Affleck has responded to actress Hilarie Burton's claims that he groped her. In a tweet sent Wednesday afternoon, Affleck apologized for his actions:
I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) October 11, 2017
See below for original story.
As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. Unfortunately, that rings especially true for scandals. The entertainment world is currently figuring out how to grapple with the fact that one of Hollywood's most powerful men, Harvey Weinstein, is a serial sexual assailant. The receipts of this are spread across publications like the New York Times and New Yorker, both of which did in-depth investigations and talked to numerous women about uncomfortable situations Weinstein placed them in.
One of them, model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, was captured on tape in conversation with Weinstein, during which she accuses him of grabbing her breast. Gutierrez says, "Yesterday, you touched my breast," to which Weinstein responds, "I'm used to that."
Ben Affleck, a decades-long leading man in Hollywood who has worked with or under Weinstein countless times, took to social media to denounce Weinstein's actions.
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) October 10, 2017
Actress Rose McGowan, who has been vocal about Weinstein since the Times bombshell dropped, called bullshit:
@benaffleck “GODDAMNIT! I TOLD HIM TO STOP DOING THAT” you said that to my face. The press conf I was made to go to after assault. You lie.
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 10, 2017
And so did others, including one Twitter user who brought up another Affleck transgression:
Ben Affleck should’ve just kept quiet. Clearly he wasn’t thinking about his daughters when he left them to gallivant with their nanny.
— I am I, Naima (@naimaism) October 10, 2017
That tweet, led to this one:
He also grabbed Hilarie Burton's breasts on TRL once. Everyone forgot though.
— Shanice Brim (@ShaniceBrim) October 10, 2017
The victim in question, actress Hilarie Burton of One Tree Hill fame, saw that post, and responded with a chilling, three-word response:
I didn't forget.
— Hilarie Burton (@HilarieBurton) October 10, 2017
You can view footage of the situation happening at the top of this page.
After conversing with the Twitter user who resurfaced the incident, Burton posted a video of the TRL Uncensored cold open, where she's featured jovially talking about the incident at the 0:40 mark.
https://t.co/wh2MpJVQzl
— Hilarie Burton (@HilarieBurton) October 11, 2017
Girls. I'm so impressed with you brave ones. I had to laugh back then so I wouldn't cry. Sending love.
"Girls," Burton tweeted with the video. "I'm so impressed with you brave ones. I had to laugh back then so I wouldn't cry. Sending love."
Burton's husband, actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, has not yet commented on Burton's claims. But this story is far from over.
Related: Ben Affleck Asks TV Host Why She's Not 'Getting Them Titties Out'