In the wake of allegations of sexual assault across Hollywood, actor Brendan Fraser emerged as one of the few men to speak out about their experiences as victims. In a profile for GQ, the actor shared he was groped in 2003 by Philip Berk, who was the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the time. "His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. And he starts moving it around," he explained then, adding the incident left him "still frightened."
As a result, HFPA launched an investigation into the claim, also releasing a statement on the matter. "The HFPA stands firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behavior described in this article," it read, adding that they've maintained a good rapport with Fraser over the years. "This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident."
According to a new GQ report, Fraser claims the investigation is now over and the outcome left him rightfully displeased. Reportedly, the HFPA contacted the actor and proposed a joint statement in which he would concede to Berk's previous statement about the grope being an innocent one. "Although it was concluded that Mr. Berk inappropriately touched Mr. Fraser, the evidence supports that it was intended to be taken as a joke and not as a sexual advance," the statement allegedly read. "All parties consider this matter to be concluded." He declined to sign the statement, also sharing the HFPA did not disclose the evidence used or the full results of their investigation. "I don’t get the joke," he told GQ.
Apparently, Berk didn't see a full report regarding the incident either. "I myself was not shown either report...but I was told the statement would absolve me of any wrongdoing."
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