Carlo Allegri/Reuters
Facing numerous sexual harassment allegations, actor Morgan Freeman has defended his allegedly inappropriate behavior by saying his past comments were meant to be “light-hearted and humorous.” In a statement released Friday night, Freeman acknowledged at times trying to “joke with and compliment women.” “Clearly I was not always coming across the way I intended. And that is why I apologized Thursday and will continue to apologize to anyone I might have upset, however unintentionally,” he said. “But it is not right to equate horrific incidents of sexual assault with misplaced compliments or humor.” Freeman’s statement came out just as a 2016 video surfaced in which he can be seen asking Entertainment Tonight host Ashley Crossan if she would “fool around with older guys.”