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Jennifer Lawrence speaks out on "degrading" treatment during early career

Jennifer Lawrence has become the latest star to describe the "degrading" treatment she has receiv...
Newstalk
Newstalk

14.30 17 Oct 2017


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Jennifer Lawrence speaks out o...

Jennifer Lawrence speaks out on "degrading" treatment during early career

Newstalk
Newstalk

14.30 17 Oct 2017


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Jennifer Lawrence has become the latest star to describe the "degrading" treatment she has received from film executives.

The Hunger Games star has said she was made to do a "nude line-up" in the early days of her career.

Lawrence, who is one of the highest paid actresses in the world, said it was a "degrading and humiliating" moment.

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She also claimed that a male film executive told her he thought she was "perfectly 'f***able."'

Nude line-up

The 27-year-old Oscar-winner, who was speaking in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal at the Elle: Women In Hollywood awards, said: "One girl before me had already been fired for not losing enough weight fast enough.

"And, during this time, a female producer had me do a nude line-up with about five women who were much, much thinner than me.

"We all stood side by side with only paste-ons covering our privates. After that degrading and humiliating line-up, the female producer told me I should use the naked photos of myself as inspiration for my diet."

Elle Awards

Another Hollywood actress attending the event in Beverley Hills, Los Angeles, said almost every single woman there would have experienced harassment, assault, or even rape.

What Happens in Vegas star Lake Bell said: "I would say that 99% of the women in this room have been harassed, sexually harassed or assaulted or raped. It's literally that prevalent."

The event was also attended by, among others, actresses Kristen Stewart, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain and Laura Dern, and producer Kathleen Kennedy.

Weinstein Company

Meanwhile, Weinstein is expected to address the directors of the firm he founded with his brother Bob later on Tuesday, following reports he will challenge his sacking.

His firing from the Weinstein Company earlier this month followed a catalogue of female actors accusing him of sexual assault, harassment and rape.

Weinstein has "unequivocally denied" allegations of illegality.

His potential fightback comes amid increasing calls to boost the scope of discussion about sexual harassment and assault, with a campaign to reveal the extent of it trending around the world.

#MeToo

Alyssa Milano's #MeToo twitter drive, calling on people who have experienced harassment or abuse to speak out, received nearly 60,000 comments in 24 hours, with the hashtag used by millions on Twitter and Facebook.

It came as board members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed they are considering changing the rules to make it easier to ban members who have treated others badly.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy says the Academy, which runs the Oscars and expelled Weinstein at the weekend, may introduce a "moral clause" in its constitution.

Some have questioned why the Academy has taken action against Weinstein but has failed to expel Roman Polanski, who has been accused of sexual abuse by three women, and Woody Allen, who has been accused of abuse by his adopted daughter.

Kennedy, a member of the Academy's board of governors and producer of several of the most critically and commercially successful films of the last 30 years, said: "We are going to have to look at what does (Weinstein's expulsion) mean for the future, what kind of changes, moral clause, that we need to put into the bylaws at the Academy.

"And then I'm sure that the next step will be that we'll start to look at some of these other people."

Zero tolerance

Jurassic Park actress Laura Dern, who is also part of the Academy's leadership, added: "The Academy is shifting. Everything is shifting.

"And that means a light is going to be shown... in areas that we... for a long time have been negligent about, and turned a blind eye (to) or not been willing to see.

"And there will be zero tolerance for unconscionable behaviour, for abuse of power, to not only women but to men as well - in our industry and others."

Oblivion star Andrea Riseborough is the latest British actress to claim she has been a victim of sexual harassment in the industry, telling 5 News it sometimes leaves her unable to get out of bed.


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