Brendan Fraser Will Not Attend Golden Globes 2023 in Promotion of 'The Whale' Due to Philip Berk Allegation

Brendan Fraser is considered by many Hollywood insiders to be a major frontrunner during awards season in the coming months for his role in The Whale.

In a new interview, he just revealed that he has no intention of attending the 2023 Golden Globes, and it is because of the allegation he made years ago against Philip Berk, the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association..

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In 2018, Brendan recalled an incident he says happened in the summer of 2003 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. When Brendan reached out to shake Berk‘s hand, the man reached around and allegedly assaulted him.

“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,” Brendan told GQ at the time. Berk claims that he just “pinched” his ass in jest.

“I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry,” Brendan said, though he decided to not go public at the time. “I didn’t want to contend with how that made me feel, or it becoming part of my narrative.”

Brendan‘s reps asked the HFPA for a written apology and Berk admits that he wrote one. “My apology admitted no wrongdoing, the usual ‘If I’ve done anything that upset Mr. Fraser, it was not intended and I apologize,’” he said.

Brendan said the incident made him retreat and “feel reclusive.” He also wonders if his career was derailed by the HFPA. “I don’t know if this curried disfavor with the group, with the HFPA. But the silence was deafening.”

Now, in a new interview released today (November 16), Brendan was asked if he’d attend the 2023 Golden Globes in January. It’s possible he could be nominated this year at the event.

“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” he told GQ. “No, I will not participate…It’s because of the history that I have with them. And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”

He was then asked why the Hollywood Foreign Press Association didn’t drop Berk from the organization after the information came out.

“I think it was because it was too prickly or sharp-edged or icky for people to want to go first and invest emotionally in the situation,” he added.

Brendan was also asked if he believed in the HFPA’s commitment to reform after facing a massive diversity issue.

“At the moment, no. Maybe time will tell if they’re going to…I don’t know what they’re going to do. I don’t know,” he responded.

And if he will help campaign for awards season for the film, he added, “I owe it to myself. I owe it to the filmmakers. I know I owe it to those fans who paid to come and see me and stand in line in the sun and, you know, all of that. I owe it to my kids. This is my shot.”

Only one celebrity took part in the 2022 Golden Globes amid their massive controversies.