Casey Affleck is promoting a new movie, and he would like you to to know that he has learned a lot from the #MeToo movement, and that it’s so important to listen, and also, oh, did you know he has a new movie coming out?
At the premiere of his new film The Old Man & The Gun this week, Affleck — who had two sexual-harassment lawsuits filed against him in 2010 by two of his female colleagues during the filming of I’m Still Here — told Variety that the #MeToo movement has taught him to listen, as opposed to, I guess, sticking his fingers in his ears and screaming “Away, wench!†whenever a woman spoke.
“I mean, look, if you haven’t learned anything from all of this, then you really haven’t been paying attention, and that goes for everybody,†he said. “It’s probably a conversation that deserves a little more time than standing on a red carpet, but I would say that one of the most important lessons is to try to remain as open as you can to other perspectives and to listen to other peoples experiences and, you know, take care of one another.â€
Back in August, Affleck also told the AP all about what he’s learned, which is that, though he doesn’t “agree with everything, the way I was being described, and the things that were said about me,†he acknowledges that he contributed to “unprofessional environment.â€
Even before all these valuable lessons, the allegations against Affleck did not prevent him from winning last year’s Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Manchester by the Sea. I can’t wait for his surprise set at the Comedy Cellar.