What Happened To The Case Of Brendan Fraser And Former HFPA Reporter Philip Berk?

What Happened To The Case Of Brendan Fraser And Former HFPA Reporter Philip Berk?

Former HFPA reporter Philip Berk gained unwanted notoriety after Hollywood star Brendan Fraser accused him of harassment.

He claims he was illegally groped in 2003 by a former executive of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group that oversees the presentation of the Golden Globes.

Brendan says his allegations of illegal behavior have been refuted by the HFPA. Fraser said earlier this year in a GQ article that Philip, the former president of the HFPA, sought her out in 2003.

Fraser added that the company quietly launched an internal investigation while defending Berk’s actions by calling them “just a joke,” but he wasn’t happy.

Philip Berk: Who Is He? Wikipedia Bio

HFPA reporter Philip Berk grew up in a middle-class family in South Africa and was born on February 13, 1933, in Cape Town, South Africa. He is almost 86 years old.

The UCLA School of Theatre, Film, and Television is where he received his degree. He also served as past president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). For 44 years, Berk has been a member of the organization, serving eight terms as president.

Similarly, Berk has a net worth of around US$8.5 million.

Fraser insists that his alleged meeting with Berk is one of the reasons why he stayed away from the spotlight. “The HFPA remains steadfast against harassment and the type of behavior represented in this article,” the HFPA said in a statement to Us Weekly at the time.

A great work connection was maintained with Brendan throughout the year, including announcing Golden Globe nominees, attending the ceremony, and participating in press conferences.

After the Brendan Fraser Case, former HFPA reporter Philip Berk was dismissed

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which oversees the Golden Globe Awards, banned Philip Berk. For sending biased emails, the reporter was charged with harassing Brendan Fraser, a well-known Hollywood actor.

Philip also criticized Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of BLM, for buying a house in Topanga Canyon, California. He had been a member of the HFPA for more than 40 years in 2022 when he was let go for making racist comments about the color of people’s skin.

The Hollywood Reporter obtained a statement from the HFPA board stating that “Phil Berk is no longer a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at this time.”

According to a copy of the email correspondence obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Berk received harsh criticism from his fellow members for his email on Sunday. The HFPA’s COO told Berk that his behavior was “inappropriate” after a member called his email “disgusting” and “a thundering disgrace.”

Berk replied that his goal was simply to expose the hypocrisy that surrounds us. He has no secret agenda; he only submitted it to provide clarification. He now regrets his choice, though. ”

Family And Wife Of Philip Berk

Alexander Berk, Melanie Berk, Ann Berk, and Benjamin Berk were four children of Philip Berk and Ruth Greenberg. They have been married for over a year.

Berk also doesn’t seem to be very active on any social media sites, so his personal information is rare. Despite being a journalist, there is not much information about the journalist’s personal life. They got married on June 20, 1954, and were happily married for almost three decades.

Philip did not provide any additional information about his children or grandchildren, although they all appear to be adults living their own lives and following their own paths.

Private Life of Brendan Fraser

After moving to Los Angeles, Fraser first met Afton Smith on July 4, 1993, at a barbecue held at Winona Ryder’s house. Griffin Arthur Fraser, Holden Fletcher Fraser, and Leland Francis Fraser were their three sons; they were united in marriage on September 27, 1998. (born 2006). The couple decided to end their marriage and separate after selling their Beverly Hills, California home for $3 million in April 2007.

Fraser’s publicist announced this in December 2007. The court ordered Fraser to pay Afton $50,000 in alimony per month for 10 years or until remarriage, whichever comes first, in addition to $25,000 per month which he is obliged to pay for the child. support. The deadline for these awards is January 2019. Fraser first petitioned the court in 2013 to reduce the amount of alimony and child support payments he was forced to pay. Fraser said he couldn’t make the $900,000 annual payments, and Smith accused him of hiding assets that contained the money. Fraser is a resident of Bedford, New York, as of February 2018.

Fraser speaks French and serves on the board of directors for FilmAid International. He is an accomplished amateur photographer who has used many different instant cameras in movies and television shows, especially during his guest appearances on the show Scrubs. He used a Polaroid pack video for his first attempt and a Holga modified to include another Polaroid, a Japanese-only mannequin, for his second attempt. In the book “Collector’s Information to Instantaneous Cameras,” which he co-authored, Fraser is credited. Additionally, he is a noted amateur archer who lent his skills to the Historical Channel series Texas Rising.

Fraser had to have multiple surgeries over the course of seven years due to the physical demands of the stunts and movements he performed for his comedy and action roles. This included a laminectomy, partial knee replacement, and surgery on his vocal cords. Additionally, while clearing a fallen tree after Hurricane Sandy (2012), he sustained a severe back injury that required surgery as well as rehabilitation.

In the summer of 2003, Fraser said Philip Berk, then head of the Hollywood Overseas Press Association, sexually assaulted her at a luncheon. These accusations were filed in 2018. As a result of the assault, his subsequent divorce, and the death of his mother, Fraser experienced severe grief. This, along with his ongoing health problems, caused him to quickly lose interest in his professional endeavors.

Many others, including readers of publications and social media users, felt that Fraser had been “blacklisted” from Hollywood as a result of speaking out about sexual assault. Fraser declined to use the phrase, however, adding that he wasn’t sure whether the incident was under his professional purview or not. I don’t think the HFPA really maintains that much control, Fraser said in a 2019 interview on the Sway in the Morning radio show. The reference is to the former president of that group of journalists; he is not official.

About Philip Berk

In February 2018, the Hollywood Overseas Press Association announced that it was looking into allegations of sexual assault made by actor Brendan Fraser against former HFPA President Philip Berk. The Mummy actor said in an interview with GQ that Berk abused him in the summer of 2003. Fraser said that his alleged meeting with Berk was one of the reasons why he left the highlight. “The HFPA takes a firm stand against sexual harassment and the type of behavior represented in this piece,” a statement from the HFPA to Us Weekly said at the time.

Over the years, we’ve maintained a great working relationship with Brendan, which includes discussing the Golden Globe nominees, attending the ceremony, and partnering in press conferences. Fraser’s claims were challenged by Berk, who said, “This report appears to include materials previously unknown to the HFPA, and at this time, we are reviewing additional details about the incident.” “Mr. Fraser’s story is a complete fabrication, according to Berk, who spoke to GQ. I apologized as usual but did not admit guilt: “If I had done something that upset Mr. Fraser, it was not intentional and I apologize.”