Old interview footage shows Morgan Freeman making creepy comments to female Entertainment Tonight reporters

Entertainment Tonight

A composite image showing Morgan Freeman gesturing to the legs of correspondent Janet Mock, and her response.

• Video from 2015 and 2016 showing Morgan Freeman making comments on the bodies of female reporters has been republished.
• Entertainment Tonight found the clips after CNN published accusations by eight women who said Freeman had harassed them or behaved inappropriately.
• One of the ET clips shows Freeman asking reporter Ashley Crossan if she would "fool around with older guys."
• In a second, Freeman strikes up a conversation about correspondent Janet Mock's legs, and gestures to them.
• Since the CNN story broke, Morgan issued an apology to "to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected."

Old video footage of Morgan Freeman making suspect comments to female reporters has been republished after he was accused of sexual harassment.

Entertainment Tonight published footage which shows Freeman asking one correspondent whether she would "fool around with older guys," while a second shows Freeman commenting intently on his interviewer's legs.

Here is a video showing the two encounters, which begin around the 1 minute, 10 seconds mark.

The video clips follow a report by CNN in which eight women came forward to accuse Freeman of inappropriate behavior, including sexual harassment. Freeman apologised after the report was published.

The first ET clip features a 2016 interview between Entertainment Tonight reporter Ashley Crossan and Freeman to promote "London Has Fallen."

Entertainment Tonight

Morgan Freeman during an interview with Ashley Crossan of Entertainment Tonight.

Here is their exchange:

Freeman: My goodness, are you married?

Crossan: No.

Freeman: Fool around with older guys?

[Crossan laughs nervously]

Freeman: I'm just askin'.

As the interview draws to an end they shake hands and Crossan tells him it was a pleasure, to which he says: "Mine. Look at yourself," and watches her from behind as she walks off. 

The second clip is a separate, earlier encounter in 2015 in which author and activist Janet Mock speaks to Freeman ahead of the film "5 Flights Up." In the exchange Morgan points to her dress and comments about how it looks on her legs.

Entertainment Tonight

Morgan Freeman points at Janet Mock's legs during an interview.

Entertainment Tonight

Janet Mock responds to Morgan's comment by laughing.

Freeman: I don't know how you all manage to do that all the time.

Mock, gesturing to her make-up: All of this?

Freeman: No. You got a dress that's halfway between your knee and your... hips, and you sit down right across from me and you cross your legs...

[Mock laughs the comment off]

Mock gave a statement to ET about the encounter before they republished the video.

It said: "I was deeply disappointed that someone who was seen as America's grandfather was susceptible to such disturbing behavior and felt comfortable enough to do that as cameras were rolling, and that he could take claim of my body and look at it before even looking into my eyes."

Following the CNN report Freeman issued a statement, saying, "Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy. I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected - that was never my intent."