It was a big night for women at the Critics’ Choice Awards with the ceremony focusing their accolades on female-centric dramas including Big Little Lies, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel. There was one notably absent winner, however, in actor James Franco - who has recently been accused of sexual misconduct by several different women.

James FrancoJames Franco did not appear at the Critics' Choice Awards

The 27 Hours star - who wore a TimesUp badge as part of a movement against sexual harassment at the recent Golden Globes - has denied sexual harassment by two women. 

He was also hit with claims by five other women just hours before the Critics’ Choice Award ceremony.

Franco won best actor in a comedy for his role as Tommy Wiseau in The Disaster Artist, but did not collect his accolade.

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In reference to the initial two claims, Franco has come out to deny the accusations and said they were "not accurate".

On Sunday (7 Jan), as Franco picked up a Golden Globe for his performance as in The Disaster Artist, actress Violet Paley accused him on Twitter of pushing her "head down in a car towards your exposed penis", and also trying to pick up her 17-year-old friend.

At the same time, a former student of Franco's acting school posted on Twitter that the actor had paid her $100 to strip naked in a film scene, something for which she signed a "vague and general at best" contract for.

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"Remember a few weeks ago when you told me the full nudity you had me do in two of your movies for $100/day wasn't exploitative because I signed a contract to do it? Times up on that!" she tweeted.

Franco has yet to comment on the five additional claims published in the Los Angeles Times by women who said he had been sexually inappropriate.