Hilarie Burton says Ben Affleck groped her 'when she was a kid' on TRL

Hilarie Burton has said that she was ‘groped’ by Ben Affleck ‘when she was a kid’, while working as a host on the MTV show ‘Total Request Live’.

Burton, who shot to fame as a teen star on the US drama ‘One Tree Hill’, made the remarks amid the scandal of producer Harvey Weinstein’s rape and sexual assault allegations.

Affleck issued a statement on Twitter denouncing the actions of Weinstein, who produced his and Matt Damon’s breakthrough movie ‘Good Will Hunting’, but he was quickly criticised for the move.

Many have accused Affleck – though without evidence – of being aware of Weinstein’s proclivities, and that it was an open secret in Hollywood.

Among those accusing Affleck is the actress Rose McGowan, who it’s alleged that Weinstein assaulted.

Fans took to Twitter to support McGowan accusing Affleck of lying, one adding: “He also grabbed Hilarie Burton’s breasts on TRL once. Everyone forgot though.”

Then Burton, who is now married to ‘The Walking Dead’ star Jeffrey Dean Morgan, chimed in personally saying: “I didn’t forget.”

The fan replied saying: “I’m so sorry that happened to you. It’s infuriating that people never bring up all the gross, predatory things he’s done.”

“Seriously, thank you for that. I was a kid,” replied Burton, before adding: “’Girls. I’m so impressed with you brave ones. I had to laugh back then so I wouldn’t cry. Sending love.”

Video of the moment is still on YouTube, including Burton’s reaction to the incident on a consequent clips show, ‘TRL Uncensored II’.

“Girls like a good tweakage here and there,” she jokes. “I’d rather have a high five.”

Burton was 21 at the time of the interview with Affleck, which happened in 2003.

McGowan, meanwhile, appears to be suggesting that the assault she suffered from Weinstein was made around the making of the movie ‘Phantoms’, in which she co-starred with Affleck.

She says Weinstein assaulted her in a hotel room at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997, the film being released in 1998.

In a tweet, McGowan claims that Affleck said to her ‘Goddamnit! I told him to stop doing that’, when she told him about the assault, and that she was forced to attend a press conference immediately after.

It’s since been alleged in an article in the New Yorker that Weinstein raped three women; Asia Argento, Lucia Evans and a third woman who has not been named.

Since the allegations of paying off a host of women for their silence over three decades emerged in an article in the New York Times on Monday, actresses including Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow have said they too had been sexually harassed by Weinstein early on in their careers.

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