At a screening of the upcoming show GLOW, stars Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin sat down to talk about the new Netflix show and the way it portrays sexism in the 1980s. However, the conversation took a turn to discuss the ways much of the industry has not changed.
The two exchanged horror stories about being objectified in auditions, demonstrating that while we have more and more female-centric shows like GLOW, there’s enough grossness out there that respectful shows are still something notable rather than the default. Brie comments, “It has not changed that much. The audition process has not changed that much,” then she spoke specifically about a disturbing audition for Entourage.
“Early in my career, I auditioned for three lines on an episode of Entourage that I had to go on in a bikini. Or like shorts and the tiniest shorts. And they were like, ‘Okay, can you take your top off now?’” The actress went on the clarify the statement on Twitter, saying that she wasn’t asked to get totally nude:
Re:Entourage – CLARIFICATION – I had a bikini top on UNDER my top. They didn’t ask me to get totally topless. Sorry to disappoint you! 😎
— Alison Brie (@alisonbrie) June 12, 2017
GLOW casting director Jennifer Euston also went to comment on the incident, calling the episode “inexcusable.”
Nor I – makes me sick there are producers who abuse their power & if there was a Casting Director present, they did nothing? Inexcusable. https://t.co/BQZdfafg2c
— Jen Euston Casting (@jeneuston) June 11, 2017
These experience also definitely aren’t unique to Brie or to the notoriously sexist Entourage. Gilpin also shared an incident where a room full of men asked her to take her hair down after completing her scene, to which Euston replied, “That’s gross.”
These types of auditions or wardrobe demands, unfortunately, aren’t a rare occurrence for female actors. Take this “cleavage note” Rose McGowan posted a while back, for instance. They send the message that female actors are valued primarily for their looks and foster a culture where men in power think it’s acceptable to take advantage of them in this way. Hopefully, as more women are speaking out, there will be more accountability for this kind of behavior.
GLOW comes to Netflix June 23rd.
(via Uproxx, Image: Netflix)
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