On Tuesday (August 9th), The Hollywood Reporter published an exposé on the accusations against Fred Savage from the set of The Wonder Years reboot. A group of unnamed women came forward to detail the inappropriate conduct allegations against him, which include verbal harassment, alleged assault, and “manipulative and erratic” behavior.
Several crewmembers recalled a “strangeness” surrounding Savage’s relationship with a much younger woman who worked on the crew. This woman declined to be interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter, but the others say she moved into Savage’s Atlanta home during filming. They also say he bought her gifts, discussed the future with her, and was “extremely controlling of her daily behaviors.”
Another woman in her early 30s said Savage approached her with “just like, dead eyes” at a bar where the crew was partying one night and pushed her against a bathroom wall, despite her objections. “He put his mouth on mine very forcefully. He went for the top of my pants. I brushed him away. Then he put his mouth on mine again, grabbed my hand and pulled it on his groin area. I was pulling back. He stopped very angrily. I shoulder checked him so I could get out,” she said.
“I was honestly scared of him for the first time,” she added, sharing that he later apologized to her for being “a huge a**h***.”
Savage responded to these allegations in a statement that read: “Since I was 6 years old, I have worked on hundreds of sets with thousands of people, and have always strived to contribute to an inclusive, safe and supportive work environment. It is devastating to learn that there are co-workers who feel I have fallen short of these goals.”
He continued, “While there are some incidents being reported that absolutely did not and could not have happened, any one person who feels hurt or offended by my actions is one person too many. I will work to address and change any behavior that has negatively affected anyone, as nothing in this world is more important to me than being a supportive co-worker, friend, husband, father and person.”