Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman has apologised to anyone who may have felt "uncomfortable or disrespected" by his behaviour.

It comes after CNN reported that multiple women have accused the A-list actor of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour on movie sets and in other professional settings.

"Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy," the actor, now 80, said to the Associated Press via his publicist, Stan Rosenfield.

"I apologise to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent."

The CNN report includes the account of a production assistant on the 2017 heist film Going In Style, who said the actor repeatedly tried to lift up her skirt, and asked if she was wearing underwear. She alleged that Freeman subjected her to unwanted touching and comments on a near-daily basis on the film.

Several women alleged that he made frequent comments about their bodies, or would stare at them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. CNN spoke to 16 people about Freeman; eight said they had experienced harassment or inappropriate behaviour, and eight said they had witnessed such conduct.

Seven described harassment or inappropriate behaviour at Revelations Entertainment, a company he co-founded with Lori McCreary.

However, assistant director, Chris Sadler who was contacted by CNN about his brief time working with Freeman on the set of Ted 2, feels the journalist was drawing a long bow. 

He told Chris Lynch he told the reporter Freeman was a gentleman and consummate professional, but after her call h,e felt very uncomfortable.

"The fact that I have only worked with this man for three days over the course of my career made me feel like she was stressing from trying to get the results to feed this story."

Sadler says he's not defending Freeman or apologising for him - just describing his interaction with the reporter.

The CNN report also cited accounts by three entertainment reporters of inappropriate remarks they allege Freeman made at press junkets, including the report's co-author, Chloe Melas, who describes Freeman shaking her hand, "not letting go while repeatedly looking her up and down and saying more than once a variation of, 'I wish I was there'" — and also "you are ripe".

Freeman won the 2005 Oscar for best supporting actor for Million Dollar Baby.

He was nominated four other times, including for Driving Miss Daisy and The Shawshank Redemption, and is renowned for his prolific voiceover work.

LISTEN TO CHRIS SADLER TALK WITH CHRIS LYNCH ABOVE