‘I WAS ASKED TO DATE A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE BOSS. WHEN I SAID NO I WAS TOLD IT COULD AFFECT MY FUTURE’

Alison Doody, Irish actress and former Bond girl

WE have all received unwelcome advances. I have had experiences where certain advances were made or things have been said over the years that I would have said no to. I can understand why there is a fear of retribution and fear of not being given the part or opportunities to go further for so many women.

I was once asked to date a movie boss and was warned that rejecting him could affect my career.

He had seen me at a premiere and asked if I would accompany him as his date to a movie premiere. I said no because I wasn’t comfortable putting myself in that position. It wasn’t so much the premiere itself but the connotations of what would be expected if I decided to go along and what could come after that.

The person on the other end of the phone said “okay” but then called me back two minutes later to say: “Look, this person is not very happy about this. I am advising you to go.”

I said: “I’m sorry I’m going to stand my ground. I don’t want to go.” And they said: “Well Alison you could lose out on an awful lot of work because of this.”

He was in a very powerful position in a Hollywood studio, he had an awful lot of contacts. I did lose out on work because I said no along the way. There’s no doubt about it but at the same time I am very grateful for the career I have had. It was easy for me because I come from a very good, loving home and I was in a very comfortable position because I always had a family to go home to and I had nothing to prove.

But I think it is extremely unfair to women who are struggling in life and who are trying to keep their career going. The women who are vulnerable or really need the money and the work.

I think it’s a time for all of us to celebrate because times have changed. It’s a positive that people know that now they will be outed if they partake in this kind of behaviour. It will make it harder for predators and it needs to be said for the women who are in this position who are depending on jobs for their livelihood.