Oscars chief John Bailey under investigation for sexual harassment charge: Report

John Bailey, 75, a cinematographer whose credits include Groundhog Day and The Big Chill, was elected to a four-year term as head of the Academy in August.

John Bailey, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body which hands out the Oscars, is being investigated for sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday.

(File) Motion Picture Academy President John Bailey was a cinematographer known for his work in films such as Groundhog Day and The Big Chill. (REUTERS)

The trade publication said the Academy immediately opened an investigation after receiving three harassment claims against Bailey on Wednesday.

Bailey, 75, a cinematographer whose credits include Groundhog Day and The Big Chill, was elected to a four-year term as head of the Academy in August.

His brief tenure has been marked by the birth of the #MeToo movement started by actress Alyssa Milano and which went global, highlighting accusations of sexual abuse.

Harvey Weinstein, whose studio Miramax was behind hits such as Shakespeare In Love and Pulp Fiction, was expelled from the Academy in October following accusations of sexual harassment and abuse by dozens of women.

In December, the Academy adopted a code of conduct for its members.

At a February lunch for this year’s Oscar nominees, Bailey promised the Academy would adopt a “greater awareness and responsibility in balancing gender, race, ethnicity, and religion.”

“The fossilized bedrock of many of Hollywood’s worst abuses are being jackhammered into oblivion,” he said.

The Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Follow @htshowbiz for more