Corey Feldman said the Oscars snubbed him from participating in its upcoming Rob Reiner tribute at the March 15 ceremony.
Feldman, who starred in Reiner’s 1986 film “Stand By Me” alongside Jerry O’Connell and River Phoenix, took to social media on Friday to explain the matter.
“I just want to briefly mention this Oscars thing!” Feldman said in a tweet, adding that he believes he was blocked from participating because he spoke out about abuse he experienced in Hollywood as a child actor. (He was 15 years old in “Stand by Me.”)
“Yes, it’s true that I was not invited,” Feldman wrote. “I understand many believe it’s due to being outspoken about the abuse I suffered as a child and the campaign to silence me. However, this isn’t about me. It’s not my moment at all. It’s about the tragic loss of our friend Rob Reiner and his memory.”
He closed out his statements by asking his followers to not push for his participation in the event, despite reports that “Stand by Me” co-stars Wil Wheaton and Jerry O’Connell are set to be there.
“But please stop. Please take down any petitions to push for my presence at the awards, Feldman continued. “They don’t need me there, Wil and Jerry got this, I’m sure they will do a fantastic job!”
He added that “we need to keep the pressure up” on the Epstein Files and that he will “honor Rob in my own way.”
Representatives for Oscars did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Feldman’s claims come a day after The Daily Mail reported on an alleged “feud” between Feldman and his “Stand by Me” co-stars after they were reportedly tapped to tribute Reiner at the Oscars with “When Harry Met Sally” stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. The news outlet reported that Feldman was “devastated” after learning that he wasn’t invited to participate, calling it a “slap in the face.”
Rob and Michele Reiner died on Dec. 14 in a double homicide from “multiple sharp force injuries,” according to the L.A. Medical Examiner. Their 32-year-old son Nick — who has battled mental health and addiction issues in the past — was later arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in February.
