Casey Affleck will not be presenting or even attending the 2018 Academy Awards this year.
Affleck won the Oscar for best actor last year for his role in Manchester by the Sea, a film that also caught attention for being Amazon’s big break into Hollywood awards season. Per Oscars tradition, the winner for best actor usually gives out the statuette for best actress the following year, and as does the winner for best actress for best actor.
However, questions had been swirling as awards season progressed this winter if Affleck would follow through given the sexual misconduct allegations surrounding him even before the #MeToo movement gained global attention late last fall.
Related: How the Academy Plans to Avoid Another Envelope Mishap at the 2018 Oscars
In 2010, Affleck was sued for sexual harassment by two women who worked with him on the mockumentary film I’m Still Here, which he directed and starred Joaquin Phoenix. The incidents were highlighted in an in-depth piece by The Daily Beast in November 2016. Both cases had been settled out of court, but the Daily Beast article did make Affleck’s alleged behavior a focal point during the 2017 awards season and after.
Get Data Sheet, Coins2Day’s technology newsletter.
But on Thursday, Affleck’s representatives said he would not be in attendance at all, thus answering the question if he would present or not. Deadline was first to report the news. The Academy has not said who will present best actress for 2018.
The 90th Academy Awards will air on ABC at 8 p.m. ET on March 4.
