TV host Anne-Marie Losique has again defended Ben Affleck after a 2004 interview of the pair went viral amid the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Appearing on Weekend Sunrise on Sunday, Anne-Marie insisted that her relations with Ben were purely ‘professional,’ and that he ‘never asked me to go to his room or anything like that.’
In the video from 2004, the journalist is seen sitting on Ben’s lap as she interviews him, the actor tells her she should go ‘topless’ then puts his head on her chest.
‘He never asked me to go to his room or anything like that’: TV host Anne-Marie Losique defends Ben Affleck over their VERY intimate interview… amid the Harvey Weinstein scandal
‘In all my career, I never go roam around in rooms and suites of actors and producers by the way,’ Anne-Marie said.
‘What I did with Ben and what we did, which was completely mutual, it was in front of cameras, and studio executives, agents, other journalists etc, and in front of like 20 people,’ she said.
‘It started when the cameras rolled, it stopped when the cameras stopped rolling.’
Speaking up: Appearing on Weekend Sunrise on Sunday, Anne-Marie insisted that her relations with Ben were purely ‘professional’
She insisted it was just a ‘game’ between the two and nothing more.
‘That’s it. The rest we had very courteous conversation, very respectful. He never asked me to go to his room or anything like that and never, nothing like that!’
She insisted the pair played the ‘game’ in interviews for ten years and she said she didn’t like that the 2004 interview was being associated with the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Anne-Marie also said she wasn’t a ‘victim,’ despite what people might think.
All for show: She insisted it was just a ‘game’ between the two and nothing more
Making headlines: Speaking about the Harvey Weinstein (pictured) drama, Anne-Marie said she was once asked up to his hotel room but refused him, saying ‘you knew with him right away’
Speaking about the Harvey Weinstein drama, Anne-Marie said he once asked her to visit his hotel room but refused him, saying ‘you knew with him right away.’
‘Professional settings have to stay professional,’ she said, but defended his victims who unknowingly went up to his hotel suite with him.
‘When one says no, it’s no,’ she added.
Anne-Marie recently told The Hollywood Reporter that she was not a victim of harassment at the hands of Ben.
‘This was for the camera. You have to understand that we have done dozens and dozens of interviews like that. It was for a show I was producing, so I was not at all a victim,’ she said.
The video starts by showing Anne-Marie sitting on Ben’s lap facing him as he’s heard saying: ‘They would like it better if you did the show topless.’
Having her say: Anne-Marie recently told The Hollywood Reporter that she was not a victim of harassment at the hands of Ben
He then turns her around so she can face the camera before he places his head on her chest.
‘This is a lovely perfume you have on,’ he says as the two hold each other.
He then says: ‘You usually show a lot more cleavage than this. What’s the story? Why are you covering it up today?’
‘It’s Sunday morning,’ she responds.
‘It’s Sunday morning? That never stopped you before from getting them ti****s out,’ Ben says back to her in the interview that lasted for more than five minutes.
But despite what the video appears to show, Anne-Marie said it ‘has been blown out of proportion.’
She told the publication she had an uncomfortable encounter with Harvey, years ago.
‘He did invite me once at the Toronto Film Festival to go up to his suite for an interview. Of course I did not go. He said, “I would be more comfortable in my suite.” I said, “Umm, no.” I am not saying something would have happened, but I made sure nothing happened,’ she said.
Meanwhile, a makeup artist has claimed that Ben ‘grabbed her a**’ while they were attending a Golden Globes party.
Annamarie Tendler, who is the author of The Daily Face and Pin It, asked for an apology from the actor over the alleged incident in a Tweet on Wednesday.
Claims: Meanwhile, a makeup artist has claimed that Ben ‘grabbed her a**’ while they were attending a Golden Globes party
‘I would also love to get an apology from Ben Affleck who grabbed my a** at a Golden Globes party in 2014,’ she Tweeted.
She followed that tweet up with more detail, saying: ‘He walked by me, cupped my butt and pressed his finger into my crack.
‘I guess he tried to play it like he was politely moving me out of the way and oops touched my butt instead of my lower back?
‘Like most women in these situations I didn’t say anything but I have thought a lot about what I’d say if I ever saw him again,’ she concluded.
Writer and comedian, Jen Statsky, who is known for her work on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, also tweeted about Annamarie’s allegations.
Controversial: Ben had made a statement condemning Harvey’s alleged abusive actions, saying he was ‘saddened and angry’ over the ‘sickening’ claims, which was slammed by Annamarie and Jen
‘I was also at this party and *multiple* friends had this same exact experience,’ she wrote on Twitter.
Ben had made a statement condemning Harvey’s alleged abusive actions, saying he was ‘saddened and angry’ over the ‘sickening’ claims, which was slammed by Annamarie and Jen.
The statement was also slammed by Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan, who called Ben a liar.
Actress Hilary Burton meanwhile said she ‘didn’t forget’ when Ben ‘grabbed her breasts’ on TRL, in 2003.
He since apologised to Hilary, in a Tweet.
Under fire: Actress Hilary Burton meanwhile said she ‘didn’t forget’ when Ben ‘grabbed her breasts’ on TRL, in 2003 (seen)