The Guardian (USA)

Several women accuse Vincent Gallo of disturbing audition experience­s

- Gloria Oladipo

The actor Vincent Gallo is being investigat­ed by the Sag-Aftra union after several women alleged he made inappropri­ate remarks to them during the casting process for the movie The Policeman.

At least three women reported Gallo to the actors’ union for sexually explicit and unsettling comments he allegedly made during the casting process for the film in November 2023, Rolling Stone first reported.

A Sag representa­tive confirmed to Rolling Stone that the investigat­ion was under way, but declined to answer specific questions.

“We extensivel­y engaged with production regarding the complaints and while shooting has wrapped, we continue to monitor and investigat­e,” the representa­tive said.

The movie, written and directed by Jordan Gertner, is about rapist and serial killer James DeAngelo, known as the Golden State Killer. Filming for the movie took place in December 2023.

Gallo, 62, stars as DeAngelo, alongside actor James Franco, who plays a character named Babcock. Gallo is widely known for directing and starring in the 2003 film The Brown Bunny. The film received criticism for an “unsimulate­d” sex scene between Gallo and actor Chloë Sevigny, prompting concern if Sevigny was pressured into the act.

Two of the women who filed a complaint with Sag-Aftra were in callback auditions to play DeAngelo’s victims in The Policeman. The third woman did not attend her callback audition after hearing about comments Gallo made to other women.

In one filed complaint, Gallo allegedly told one of the actors that she must “truly believe you will die if you don’t do as I say”, in addition to sexually explicit comments.

“If I say to suck my dick or I will kill you, I want you, you the person, not you the character, not you the actor, but you, to truly believe you will die if you don’t do as I say,” Gallo reportedly said.

He went on to tell her that she had “no control” during the filming process, despite the movie’s sexual and violent nature.

“And just like you would in real life, if this were happening to you, I want you to do all of the actions necessary to do that. You won’t actually suck my dick, but you do not have the power, I have all the power. You have no control, I am in complete control,” Gallo told the woman, according to the complaint.

The actor, identified by the pseudonym “Emily” in the Rolling Stone article, was also told to not ask about an intimacy coordinato­r during the callback audition process, despite the film’s sexual content.

Emily told Rolling Stone that it felt as if Gallo was “running the show”. She questioned if anyone would legitimate­ly check potentiall­y inappropri­ate behavior from Gallo.

“I never felt truly protected from all of this, from what frankly was looking to me like a recipe for sexual misconduct on set,” Emily told Rolling Stone.

Another actor, referred to by the pseudonym “Jane”, also said it appeared others involved in the film were “under Gallo’s spell”. Jane said Gallo allegedly discussed his “torture porn fantasies” with her during the audition.

“He then proceeded to tell me that the filming environmen­t he wanted to create was one that was fully improvised,” the actor said in a filed complaint, Rolling Stone reported.

Gallo also told the actor and her agent that several films involving sexual acts could be improvised and filmed without an intimacy coordinato­r or prior choreograp­hy, including simulated rape scenes and bondage with shoe laces.

Representa­tives for Gallo and Franco did not respond to requests for comment from the Guardian. A representa­tive of Cast Iron Studios, who cast the Policeman, did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment.

In a comment to Rolling Stone, Cast Iron Studios said the casting studio “fought hard behind the scenes” on behalf of performers and had positive experience­s on set.

“We thank the actresses for their courage to come forward, and express our deepest apologies for their experience, which was indeed a first for us, too,” it said in a statement.

A representa­tive for Gertner and Pacific Media Production­s told Rolling Stone that allegation­s regarding inappropri­ate remarks were taken “very seriously” and that a Sag-Aftra intimacy coordinato­r was ultimately hired for the production.

“The producers, director, cast, and crew are proud of the movie we have made,” the spokespers­on said.

 ?? Vincent Gallo. Photograph: Tommaso Boddi/WireImage ??
Vincent Gallo. Photograph: Tommaso Boddi/WireImage

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States