WALTHAM, MA— Indian-American actor-comedian Aziz Ansari, who recently won the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for “Master of None” at the 75th Golden Globe Awards, has been accused of sexual harassment by a 23-year- old Brooklyn, NY-based photographer. Ansari said “it was consensual.”
Ansari, who went on date with the girl, has responded to the claims saying the two engaged in “sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual”.
“In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date,” Ansari said in a statement given to People magazine. “We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual.”
According to etonline.com, Ansari’s win of Golden Globe award marked the second time an actor of South Asian descent has won a Golden Globe in 35 years. Ben Kingsley, who is of Indian descent, won for Best Actor – Motion Picture, Drama in 1982.
This is Ansari’s second Golden Globe nomination and first win. He was previously nominated in 2016 also for “Master of None”.
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, to a Muslim family from Tamil Nadu, Ansari started his career as a stand-up comedian and acted on television in the comedy series “Parks and Recreation”.
He then created the “Master of None”, based on his personal experiences.