These Hollywood Actors Have Spoken About Sexual Harassment Before

Megan Fox, Gwyneth Paltrow and many more have been quite vocal about sexual harassment in the past.

Lisa Rinna, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Thandie Newton have all spoken about sexual harassment. 

(Photo: Reuters)

The casting couch isn’t unheard of. Be it Bollywood or Hollywood, time and again actors and artists have spoken up about being proposed sex in exchange of a role. In the light of serious allegations being made against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein as a sexual predator by actors like Ashley Judd, let’s look at some other Hollywood actors who have spoken up about sexual harassment in the past.

Gwyneth Paltrow

When I was just starting out, someone suggested that we finish a meeting in the bedroom. I left. I was pretty shocked. I could see how someone who didn’t know better might worry, ‘My career will be ruined if I don’t give this guy a blow job!’.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Actor

Gwyneth Paltrow spoke up when she was proposed sex at the end of a meeting. 

Thandie Newton

A director, on a callback, had a camera shooting up my skirt and asked me to touch my tits and think about the guy making love to me in the scene. I thought, ‘OK, this is a little weird,’ but there was a female casting director in the room and I’d done weird stuff before so I did it.

Thandie Newton, Actor

She then realised years later, after being approached by a drunk producer at the Cannes Film Festival, that the director had been sharing the video with his pals.

Thandie Newton has been filmed under the pretext of a callback. 

Susan Sarandon

I just went into a room, and a guy practically threw me on the desk. It was my early days in New York, and it was really disgusting. It wasn’t like I gave it a second thought, it was so badly done.

Susan Sarandon, Actor

Susan Sarandon speak of sexual harassment early on in her career. 

Charlize Theron

I thought it was a little odd that the audition was on a Saturday night at his house in Los Angeles, but I thought maybe that was normal. He was in his Hugh Hefner pyjamas— I go inside and he’s offering me a drink, and I’m thinking, ‘My God this acting stuff is very relaxed.’ But it soon becomes very clear what the situation was. I was like, ‘Not going to happen! Got the wrong girl, buddy!

Charlize Theron, Actor

Chalize Theron, at first, thought it was normal. 

Jenny McCarthy

I went to the audition for Under Siege 2 with, like, 15 other Jenny McCarthys. These girls came in and out of his office and I was last. Steven [Segal] comes out and goes, ‘Hmm, so you’re last.’ I’m thinking, ‘Shouldn’t a casting person be doing this? When I said, ‘Well, I’m ready to read,’ he said, ‘Stand up, you have to be kind of sexy in the movie and in that dress, I can’t tell.’ I stand up and he goes, ‘Take off your dress.’ I said, ‘What?’ and he said, ‘There’s nudity.’ I said, ‘No, there’s not, or I wouldn’t be here right now.’ He said again, ‘There’s nudity,’ and I said, ‘The pages are right in front of me. There’s no nudity.’ He goes, ‘Take off your dress.’ I just started crying and said, ‘Rent my [Playboy] video, you a—hole!’ and ran out to the car.

Jenny McCarthy, Actor

Jenny McCarthy has openly accused Steven Segal of ordering her to undress during an audition.  

Megan Fox

Any casting-couch shit I’ve experienced has been since I’ve become famous. It’s really so heartbreaking. Some of these people! Like Hollywood legends. You think you’re going to meet them and you’re so excited, like, ‘I can’t believe this person wants to have a conversation with me,’ and you get there and you realise that’s not what they want, at all.

Megan Fox, Actor

Megan Fox has faced casting couch proposals even after being an established actor. 

Lisa Rinna

I lost a role on a big TV series because I wouldn’t bend over a chair in a producer’s office for ‘just a quickie’. ‘Just pull your panties down and bend over and the role is yours,’ he said to me.

Lisa Rinna, Actor

Lisa Rinna too hasn’t been spared the casting couch. 

Jane Fonda

I’ve been raped, I’ve been sexually abused as a child and I’ve been fired because I wouldn’t sleep with my boss and I always thought it was my fault; that I didn’t do or say the right thing.

Jane Fonda, Actor

Jane Fonda revealed she has been sexually victimised on multiple occasions. 

Read more: I’ve Been Raped; Fired for Not Sleeping With My Boss: Jane Fonda