When former child star Fred Savage was fired from the reboot of “The Wonder Years” due to a string of “allegations of inappropriate conduct” from female colleagues, the alleged incidents behind his May 6 ousting were unclear.
Several women who worked on the ABC show — on which Savage, 46, was an executive producer and director — are now saying they and the other women “feel that people need to know what the wrongdoing was,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The accusers outlined behavior that they claimed was “manipulative,” “erratic” and worse — including incidents in which he allegedly tried to kiss and grope one woman in a restroom and reportedly engaged in “controlling” and “manipulative” behavior over another young woman.
Representatives for the veteran actor said he denies the claims of inappropriate sexual behavior, The Post can confirm.
In a statement, Savage told The Post that he finds it “devastating” that some individuals believe his goal of an “inclusive, safe and supportive work environment” fell short.
“Since I was 6 years old, I have worked on hundreds of sets with thousands of people, and have always strived to contribute to an inclusive, safe and supportive work environment. It is devastating to learn that there are co-workers who feel I have fallen short of these goals,” the married father of three said. “While there are some incidents being reported that absolutely did not and could not have happened, any one person who feels hurt or offended by my actions is one person too many. I will work to address and change any behavior that has negatively affected anyone, as nothing in this world is more important to me than being a supportive co-worker, friend, husband, father and person.”
Savage is reportedly doing “self-reflection” following his firing.NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesAccusers told the Reporter they saw two different sides of the child actor: a charismatic one that they noted executives and actors usually saw, and his alter ego that was “darker” — with one woman even saying “his eyes would go dead” when engaging and talking to “below-the-line employees who don’t have power” and “verbally abusing” them.
The women who filed the complaint with Disney told THR they wished to remain anonymous but shared specific examples of feeling “uneasy” about Savage, who found fame on the original TV series in the late 1980s.
One crew member described him as “charming” and “very friendly” on set, but said his relationship with a younger woman working on the show is what triggered the complaint, noting the “strangeness” of it.
Savage (center) is a former child star best remembered for his role in “The Wonder Years,” which ran from 1988 to 1993.Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty ImagesSome crew members said the young woman moved into the house where Savage was living in Atlanta during “The Wonder Years” filming, recalling him being “extremely controlling of her daily behaviors,” as well as “manipulative and erratic.” Some sources claimed that the young woman seemed withdrawn and unlike herself after her interactions with Savage.
One crew member alleged that Savage showed “very blatant favoritism” toward a woman in her early 30s, who admitted they struck a friendship that she saw as “very platonic” but took a strange turn in December 2021 after she was fired from the show without warning.
According to the woman, she was at a bar with some of her former cast and crewmates, including Savage, when he reportedly walked into the woman’s restroom after her, looked at her with “dead eyes” and pushed her against a wall.
In 2018, actress Alley Mills said the original “Wonder Years” was canceled after a former costume designer filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Savage, then 16.Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images“I said, ‘Please, don’t do this.’ I meant ruining the friendship. I was pleading, not from fear so much, but this was no going back,” she told THR.
‘He put his mouth on mine very forcefully. He went for the top of my pants. I brushed him away.’
“He put his mouth on mine very forcefully. He went for the top of my pants. I brushed him away. Then he put his mouth on mine again, grabbed my hand and pulled it on his groin area,” she continued. “I was pulling back. He stopped very angrily. I shoulder-checked him so I could get out.”
He allegedly left the gathering with another younger woman but sent a string of phone calls and texts following the incident wanting to apologize. Weeks later, Savage left a voicemail that was obtained by THR.
“It’s your old friend Fred,” he allegedly said in the message. “We worked together for a while and then we didn’t and then I was a huge a – – hole. A huge a – – hole. And I’m really sorry. And I’ve kind of owed you an apology for a minute here and so, uh, the truth is I really like you and I really want to be friends and I’m so sorry that I f – – ked that up.”
The woman said she never responded to the voicemail.
Savage said in a statement he will “work to address and change any behavior that has negatively affected anyone.”Disney General Entertainment ConIn May, sources told Page Six Savage was “doing a lot of self-reflection” following his firing.
“Fred has really taken this issue very seriously and is doing a lot of self-reflection about how he could and should have handled different circumstances better,” they said.
It’s not the first time Savage has been accused of misconduct; in 2019 he settled a lawsuit with Youngjoo Hwang, a costume designer for the former Fox comedy “The Grinder,” after she accused him of assault and harassment.
In 2018, actress Alley Mills said the original ’80s “Wonder Years” was canceled after a former costume designer filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Savage, then 16, and fellow co-star Jason Hervey, then 20. The suit was settled out of court.
