Ben Affleck appeared on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert to promote the film Justice League, where Colbert directly asked Affleck about the aftermath of Harvey Weinstein – and about a few allegations against Affleck himself.
"What I was accused of by a woman was of touching her breast while giving her a hug," Affleck said, referring to Hilarie Burton's tweets from October. "I don't remember it, but I absolutely apologized for it. I certainly don't think she's lying or making it up."
"It's just the kind of thing we have to, as men, I think, as we become more aware of this, be really, really mindful of our behavior and hold ourselves accountable and say, 'If I was ever part of the problem, I want to change," Affleck added. "I want to be part of the solution.' And to not shy away from these awkward or strange encounters we might have had where we're sort of navigating and not knowing."
Affleck and Colbert discussed the disease-like nature of Hollywood's sexual impropriety, focusing on Weinstein (with whom Affleck worked closely early in his career) but leaving out newer names like Louis C.K.
"Eventually, everything comes out," Colbert said
"I think so," replied Affleck. "It certainly is now. Clearly it didn't before."
Affleck emphasized that he's learning – a common thread among celebrity men at the moment – and that he wants to support and believe women in order to change Hollywood's culture moving forward. He said as much again on Friday's TODAY show with regard to actress Rose McGowan.
“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," he said. "I believe Rose, I support her, I really like and admire her tenacity and wish her the best.”
"I thought I had a sense of the scope of the problem and I thought I understood it, and the truth is I really didn't," Affleck told Colbert. "I didn't understand what it's like to be groped, to be harassed, to be interrupted, talked over, paid less, you know, pushed around, belittled — all the things that women deal with, that for me as a man, I have the privilege of not having to deal with. Part of this, for me, has been listening to people I really care about and love as they tell me stories of stuff that has happened to them — this is men and women — and recognizing it's a real thing."
"I'm not spokesman. I'm not a superhero," he added. "I can't change it by myself. I can just be accountable for myself and my actions."
Topics Stephen Colbert Celebrities
