ON DEFENSE

‘Manchester by the Sea’ Director Kenneth Lonergan Says Casey Affleck Was ‘Treated Abominably’ by #MeToo

“It’s not good for anybody,” the Oscar winner insisted.

Kenneth Lonergan, the Oscar-winning writer and director of Manchester by the Sea, said actor Casey Affleck has been “treated abominably” by the #MeToo movement, according to IndieWire. “I couldn’t be more all for the #MeToo movement,” Lonergan said, “and I couldn’t feel more strongly that he’s been treated abominably. It’s not good for anybody.” Affleck, who nabbed the 2017 best actor Oscar for his performance in Manchester, was accused of sexual assault by two women who worked on his 2010 film I’m Still Here, as previously reported by The Daily Beast. He settled both cases out of court for “an undisclosed amount the same year.” In January, he notified the Academy that he would not be attending the 2018 Oscars nor presenting the best actress award because he didn’t want “to distract from the performances of the five nominated actresses.”