Piers Morgan Calls out Scarlett Johansson and Hollywood 'Hypocrites'

Scarlett Johansson slammed James Franco at the Women’s March on Saturday, but the actress [...]

By Kelsey Patterson

Scarlett Johansson slammed James Franco at the Women's March on Saturday, but the actress quickly found herself under fire by Piers Morgan for her own "hypocrisy."

Johansson spoke to a crowd of protestors on in Los Angeles to call out Franco, who donned a 'Time's Up' pin at the Golden Globes on the same day he was accused by at least five women of sexual misconduct.

"My mind baffles. How could a person publicly stand by an organization that helps to provide support for victims of sexual assault while privately preying on people who have no power," Johansson said. "I want my pin back, by the way."

She never used Franco's name, but it was obvious Johansson was referring to her fellow actor — and her rep later confirmed to the Los Angeles Times she was talking about him.

But much like social media, Morgan found the actress' speech to be ironic, considering her past relationships and choices in the industry.

The outspoken British broadcaster penned a column for Daily Mail titled, "If you think #TimesUp for Hollywood hypocrites like sanctimonious Scarlett, #MeToo."

"I don't subscribe to the 'MY truth' is automatically 'THE truth' subtext of the otherwise laudable #MeToo campaign," Morgan said, citing that numerous rape cases in Britain have collapsed recently after evidence proved their female accusers lied.

But the Good Morning Britain host continued to denounce Johansson by examining her past professional relationships with powerful Hollywood men who have also been accused of sexual misconduct: Woody Allen and Roman Polanski.

Johansson worked with Allen on three movies and previously said, "I'd sew the hems of his pants if he asked me to," Morgan recalled.

Allen, though, has long been accused by his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow of sexually abusing her when she was seven years old. In 2014, Farrow wrote an open letter to the New York Times after Allen was awarded a lifetime achievement Golden Globe, in which she detailed her alleged assault and blasted actors who continued to work with and support him.

"What if it had been you, Emma Stone?" she wrote. "Or you, Scarlett Johansson?"

When The Guardian questioned Johansson about Farrow's claims, she held a vastly different opinion of Allen than of Franco.

"It's not like this is somebody that's been prosecuted and found guilty of something and you can then go, 'I don't support this lifestyle or whatever.' I mean, it's all guesswork. I don't know anything about it. It would be ridiculous for me to make any kind of assumption one way or the other," Johansson said.

Morgan noted that Franco has neither been prosecuted nor found guilty of sexual misconduct and, like Allen, has denied the allegations against him.

Morgan also blasted Johansson's on-stage affection with Roman Polanski at the 2014 Cesar Film Awards in Paris, during which she touched his shoulder and exchanged whispers and grins with the Hollywood legend.

"An odd reaction, you might think, from a woman outraged by powerful men preying on vulnerable women, towards a convicted child rapist that fled America to avoid being held accountable for his appalling crime," Morgan wrote.

Though he targeted much of his column on Johansson's apparent hypocrisy, he called out other outspoken supporters of the 'Time's Up' movement, including Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet, who have publicly praised Allen, Polanski and Harvey Weinstein for their character and contributions.

But as the actresses' actions show they support outright Hollywood heavyweights who have been accused of lewd acts against women, Morgan criticizes their black attire and focus on activism at the Golden Globes and the female-only presenters shift at the SAG Awards.

"The Hollywood awards season — which I thoroughly enjoy — is always an unedifying orgy of self-congratulatory, back slapping bulls— and gruesomely worthy speeches," Morgan wrote. "But this year, it's already scaled new heights of politically correct horror."

Morgan argued that the movement would be received much better if those leading the charge were consistent in their outrage and call for change.

"Instead, we're left with the likes of sanctimonious Scarlett crucifying James Franco but taking Woody Allen's pay-checks and hugging it out with Roman Polanski," Morgan concluded. "If you think #TimesUp for these Hollywood hypocrites, #MeToo."

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