Filmmaker Cameron Bossert has started a petition for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to ban actor-director Casey Affleck from the 2018 Academy Awards as the 42-year-old Oscar -winning actor was accused of two sexual harassment cases back in 2010.

The actor had back then denied all accusations and settled the cases out of court.

Also read: Hollywood veteran Dustin Hoffman accused of sexual harassment: 'He felt my a** four times'

The filmmaker launched an online petition to restrain Affleck from presenting the award for Best Actress at next year's event. The petition has received more than 13,000 signatures as of now.

"With so many credible accusations against him, the Academy should take action against Affleck and ban him from participating in the ceremony," the petition reads.

The "credible accusations" eferred to the two aforementioned instances of alleged sexual assault against the Ocean's Eleven actor which happened during the shooting of his 2010 mockumentary named I'm Still Here.

Actor Casey Affleck
Actor Casey Affleck attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California.Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Cinematographer Magdalena Gorka and producer Amanda White came forward with allegations against Affleck saying they "received near-daily barrage of sexual comments, innuendo and unwelcome advances".

"As a burgeoning filmmaker, I want to know that the industry I am entering respects and protects everyone, no matter their gender," said Bossert.

Explaining the reason for the petition, Bossert told Metro.co.uk: "I started this petition because I thought the idea of Casey Affleck handing over the Best Actress Oscar given our current climate was distasteful."

He added: "Perhaps he should take the high road and recuse himself because whomever wins Best Actress in 2018 is in a fantastic position to embarrass him. I'm not in favour of actually banning Casey Affleck completely from AMPAS."

Bossert thinks that the allegations against Affleck reflect an abusive culture that everyone should be working to change because it makes women feel unsafe and undignified.

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