Ben Affleck Calls Harvey Weinstein “Sleazy”, Admires Rose McGowan

Ben Affleck says again that he knew Harvey Weinstein “was sleazy and kind of a bully,” but not about the sexual harassment allegations that have hounded Weinstein out of the industry.

Appearing this morning on NBC’s Today show, the Justice League actor told Savannah Guthrie, “I knew (Weinstein) was sleazy and kind of a bully, but unfortunately that wasn’t that uncommon. I was brand new to Hollywood…I was 24 years old, I never made a movie and didn’t know much of anything really.

“To now look back on it and think gosh some other people were going through something really ugly and disturbing and difficult and terrible and terrifying…the only thing I could think to do is to give my residuals from my Harvey movies to a couple of organizations that I think are making a difference and try to reconcile that.”

Affleck also spoke, sort of, about actress and Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan, who tweeted that the actor was lying about Weinstein. (In an Oct. 10 tweet, McGowan wrote to Affleck, “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.”)

Asked about McGowan this morning, Affleck said, “I don’t really want to get into other people’s individual stories because I feel like those are their stories and they are entitled to tell as much or as little of those as they want – I believe Rose, I support her, I really like and admire her tenacity and wish her the best.”

Affleck also spoke generally about the ever-growing spate of harassment and abuse allegations in Hollywood. Noting that the problem was not limited to Hollywood, he said, “It certainly feels like a really important moment. It feels like a time when survivors are finding their voice and people are, and I include myself in this, really discovering the terrible extent of this problem here in our country.”

The actor has also had his own allegations to deal with: Former MTV host Hilarie Burton said he groped her while shooting a 2003 spot for the network’s TRL, for which he apologized. That specific subject was not broached on Today, but Affleck did say “there are plenty of things, plenty of jokes I wouldn’t have made, or things I wouldn’t have done.”

The interview also did not cover brother Casey Affleck’s out-of-court settlements with two women who accused him of sexual misconduct in 2010.

Take a look at the interview above.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYaSRYN3Tt4&w=605&h=340]

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