The Untold Truth Of Casey Affleck

Much like his older brother, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck has garnered a lot of attention in Hollywood for his high-profile performances and equally high-profile scandals. While some were more than willing to hand the guy an Academy Award, others were attempting to spotlight horrifying allegations from his past. Here's the lowdown on why everyone can't seem to stop talking about Casey.

If you followed the 2016 Oscar race, chances are, you heard rumblings that Casey had been accused of sexual harassment. Per Time magazine, the allegations date back to 2010, when two women who worked on the movie I'm Still Here (2010) sued Casey, a producer of the film, for $2 million and $2.5 million, respectively. The sexual harassment suits alleged that, among other things, Casey "crawled into bed" with one of the women "without her consent while she was asleep." Casey also "allegedly pressured the other woman to stay in his hotel room and 'violently grabbed [her] arm in an effort to intimidate her into staying' when she refused," according to Time. Whatever actually happened, the two cases were settled out of court for "an undisclosed amount" that year, Time reported.

Despite settling the aforementioned lawsuits, Casey has continued to face questions about the accusations, which he consistently denies. As the actor's starring turn in Manchester by the Sea (2016) generated Oscar buzz, so too did his controversial past in profiles for The New York Times, Variety, and other publications. Casey even fielded questions about the sexual harassment allegations after winning the best actor Oscar in February 2017, telling The Boston Globe, "I believe that any kind of mistreatment of anyone for any reason is unacceptable and abhorrent, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect in the workplace and anywhere else." He continued, "There's really nothing I can do about it, other than live my life the way I know I live it and to speak to what my own values are and how I try to live by them all the time."

Though these sorts of allegations are often strong enough to destroy an actor's career, Casey has managed to weather the storm seemingly unscathed. Why is that?

The Cut argues that, for starters, Casey has the privilege of being protected by his equally famous brother, Ben, and popular A-list friend, Matt Damon. "Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have championed and protected Casey throughout his career, sending a message to the media that they are a united front..." The Cut said. "This brotherly posing makes prestige outlets hesitant to ask the younger Affleck tough questions, for fear of losing access to all three stars. His cruise to the Oscars continues undeterred because of his privileged position in Hollywood."

The Daily Beast suggested Casey's critical acclaim as an actor and praise from high-profile peers may make audiences more willing to turn a blind eye to his questionable past, comparing the situation to the controversy surrounding Woody Allen, who also continues to garner rave reviews despite disturbing allegations of child molestation. "Coverage of these types of cases often seems to operate according to an invisible scale," The Daily Beast said. "At first, unsavory allegations are cast aside in the service of palatable profiles. We subscribe to easy narratives; reporters don't want to irritate stars with unpleasant questions, and fans don't want to complicate their adoration with dark details...These types of allegations haven't always acted as insurmountable obstacles to continued Hollywood success."

Some celebrities tried to protest Casey's relatively easy march to the 2017 Academy Awards. After his Oscar nomination in January 2017, Fresh Off the Boat star Constance Wu called "BS" on Twitter, writing, "Men who sexually harass women [for] OSCAR! [Because] good acting performance matters more than humanity [and] human integrity! [Because] poor kid [really] needs the help!" At the awards ceremony the following month, some interpreted actress Brie Larson's refusal to clap for Casey during his Oscar acceptance speech as a deliberate sign of protest.

Professionally, Casey's 2016 approached best-ever territory, but personally, things were a bit of a mess. In March 2016, Casey confirmed that he and his wife, Summer Phoenix, were amicably divorcing after 10 years of marriage, according to People magazine. Phoenix is the sister of actor Joaquin Phoenix and reportedly met Casey while working on the 1995 drama To Die For. They have two sons named Atticus and Indiana.

A few months after Casey's divorce was announced, the Daily Mail spotted him out and about with a brand-new girl, actress Floriana Lima. The two appear to be going strong. Casey, 41, and Lima, 33, made their red carpet debut at Vanity Fair's Oscar party in February 2017 and were photographed together a few days later in Vancouver, Canada, where he is shooting Light of My Life (2018).

Given his connection to Joaquin's prank movie, I'm Still Here, people are still wondering if Casey's awkward interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was a variation of the one Joaquin gave to David Letterman a few years prior. Whatever it was supposed to be, the fact of the matter remains: Casey and Colbert's meeting was super tense and exceedingly awkward. Things got off to an uncomfortable start right off the bat when Colbert mocked Casey's casual clothing. "Thanks for dressing up," Colbert quipped, a line that landed with a thud. Then, as you might imagine, things deteriorated from there. Watch the train wreck, aptly titled "Casey Affleck & Stephen Enjoy A Spirited Conversation," unfold in the video, above.

While on the road to Oscar glory, Casey's acceptance speeches have been everything from bumbling to hilarious. They've also been rather forgetful. After winning an Academy Award in February 2017, he immediately expressed regret for not thanking his sons on stage. "I didn't thank my children, which is something that I'll probably never ever live down," he told reporters in the press room (via E! Online). "About three seconds after I made it backstage, my phone rang and my son said, 'You didn't even mention us.' And my heart just sank. So, you know, that probably would have been the most meaningful thing I could have said and I failed." Ouch.

On the bright—or at least funnier—side, when Casey forgot to thank big-brother Ben at the Golden Globes, Ben took it upon himself to mock his little bro on Jimmy Kimmel Live! "I was a little taken aback," Ben quipped (via E! Online). "I wouldn't do that. If it's me, I thank people." Kimmel even played old footage of Ben thanking Casey during Ben's Oscar acceptance speech for Good Will Hunting in 1998.

Speaking to NPR in 2016, Casey detailed the struggles he faced growing up with an alcoholic father. "I was aware of his drinking," he said. "I was aware that he was an alcoholic and that he behaved badly...in the way that a kid is aware of those kinds of things. He was a bartender also for some time, and so when my mom was working my brother and I would just sit around the bar. We'd just go to work with him, sitting at the bar. And in some ways it was also just normal, too."

Casey said his father went to rehab when he was 14 and has been sober ever since. "He is a lovable guy and I have a great relationship with him and he's really very, very smart," he said. "And I got to know a whole new person when I was a teenager, because the man I knew before that was just completely different. So in some ways I kind of began my relationship with the father I know now when I was a teenager."