This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
US actress Megan Fox has come to the defense of film director Michael Bay after a 2009 interview resurfaced online, sparking controversy over her description of an encounter with him when she was 15 years old.
During the interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Fox described how Bay got her to 'dance underneath a waterfall' in a bikini for the film Bad Boys II.
Some Twitter users accused Bay of 'sexualising' Fox as a teenager, but she has since denied any wrongdoing, stating that she was 'never assaulted or preyed upon' in a sexual manner.
Writing on Instagram, Fox clarified that the incident was 'inconsequential' in the context of her experiences in the film industry, which she described as 'ruthlessly misogynistic.'
She also referenced reports that Steven Spielberg, an executive producer on the Transformers series, had forced her to leave the show after she compared Bay to Adolf Hitler.
However, Fox's publicist at the time stated that she had left the series of her own accord.
Fox's comments come as the film industry continues to grapple with allegations of misconduct and sexism.
