casting-couch
Hollywood's shameful furniture
A casting couch is, literally or figuratively, the place where sexual favors are exchanged for roles in film, television, or theater.
The term evokes the stereotype of a producer's office sofa where aspiring actors are pressured into sex as a condition of being cast.
The casting couch was an open secret in Hollywood for decades.
The phrase gained renewed attention during the #MeToo movement's exposure of entertainment industry abuses.
Trial performance for selection
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- harassmentAggressive, unwanted targeting
- quid-pro-quoExchange of equivalents
abuse · misconduct · intimidation · grooming · manipulation · pressure · degradation · violation
American film industry center
- producerOne who makes things
- directorOne who leads
- agentOne who acts independently
- starletRising young actress
audition · role · talent · headshot · callback · studio · mogul · aspiring
Investigative journalism piece
- #MeTooAnti-harassment solidarity movement
- WeinsteinGerman surname, vintner's crust
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
accusation · tabloid · coverup · settlement · NDA · allegation · reckoning · blacklist
Affecting an entire structure
- endemicNative to one area
- normalizationAdjusting to a standard
- toxicityCapacity to cause harm
- enablingMaking something feasible
complicity · institutionalized · pervasive · entrenched · workplace · hierarchy · imbalance · industry-wide
audition
Trial performance for selection
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- harassmentAggressive, unwanted targeting
quid-pro-quo · abuse · misconduct · intimidation · grooming · manipulation · pressure · degradation · violation · complicity
Hollywood
American film industry center
starlet · audition · role · talent · headshot · callback · studio · mogul · aspiring · breakthrough
exposé
Investigative journalism piece
- #MeTooAnti-harassment solidarity movement
- WeinsteinGerman surname, vintner's crust
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
whistleblower · accusation · tabloid · coverup · settlement · NDA · allegation · reckoning · blacklist · complicity
systemic
Affecting an entire structure
- endemicNative to one area
- normalizationAdjusting to a standard
- toxicityCapacity to cause harm
enabling · complicity · institutionalized · pervasive · entrenched · workplace · hierarchy · imbalance · industry-wide · reform
casting-couchmerit-based hiring
Employment by qualification alone
blind audition · meritocracy · equal opportunity · skills assessment · screen test
casting-couchsafe workplace
Work environment without hazards
professional boundaries · code of conduct · safeguarding · duty of care · due process
cast, couch, casting, casts, couches, recast, forecasting, couching, caster