Casey Affleck Drops Out Of Oscars Ceremony

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Casey Affleck has dropped out of the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony.

Affleck, who won the Oscar for best actor last year for his performance in "Manchester by the Sea," will not be in attendance or presenting, Deadline Hollywood reported Thursday.

Affleck has been dogged by allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women that has prompted criticism in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and #MeToo movement.

It is tradition for the previous year's best actor winner to present the trophy for best actress.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed the withdrawal, Variety reports.

More than 19,500 people had signed a petition on Change.org asking the Academy to ban Affleck.

In 2010, two women who worked on Affleck's film "I'm Still Here" filed sexual harassment lawsuits against him for "uninvited and unwelcome sexual advances in the workplace." Both lawsuits were settled out of court.