The actor doesn't have to give up his Life Achievement honor after SAG-AFTRA bosses conducted an investigation regarding allegations of harassment and inappropriate behavior against Freeman.
- September 7, 2018
AceShowbiz - Morgan Freeman will not have to give up his 2018 Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award following union officials' independent investigation into claims of misconduct against the Oscar winner.
SAG-AFTRA bosses launched the investigation in May after eight women came forward with allegations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour against Freeman, as part of a CNN expose.
The union officials announced they were considering "corrective actions" with regard to the honour, handed to the actor a month before the release of a SAG-AFTRA Sexual Harassment Code of Conduct, which detailed behaviour deemed unsuitable and inappropriate by members.
But Freeman will keep his award.
A new statement from a union spokesperson reads: "Based on the results of an independent investigation and the information we have at this time, we are taking no action regarding the SAG Life Achievement Award presented to Morgan Freeman".
The details of the investigation will remain confidential.
Freeman quickly apologised after the CNN report was published online, insisting it was never his intention to "intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy".
He added: "I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false".
Meanwhile, Freeman's National Geographic show The Story of God is back on track after network bosses halted production following the CNN report. They also investigated the allegations against the star before announcing last month that production of the show would resume after clearing him of any inappropriate behaviour.
"The results of this investigation revealed no incidents of concern during any of our work with Mr. Freeman," a network spokesman said. "We have now made the decision to move forward with the production of season three of The Story of God".
However, the actor hasn't come out of the drama completely unscathed - he lost his lucrative longtime sponsorship with Visa amid the controversy.
