Vincent Gallo, the actor, is currently under investigation by the Sag-Aftra union due to multiple allegations from women claiming he made inappropriate comments towards them while auditioning for the film The Policeman.
According to Rolling Stone, at least three women reported Gallo to the actors’ union for making sexually explicit and disturbing comments during the casting process for a film in November 2023.
A representative from Sag verified to Rolling Stone that they are currently conducting an investigation, but declined to provide further details.
The representative stated that we have been actively addressing the complaints with the production team. Although filming has ended, we are still monitoring and investigating the situation.
Jordan Gertner wrote and directed a movie about James DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer, a rapist and serial killer. Production for the film occurred in December 2023.
62-year-old Gallo plays the role of DeAngelo, appearing alongside James Franco as the character Babcock. Gallo is best known for both directing and starring in the film The Brown Bunny in 2003. This film faced backlash for featuring a sex scene between Gallo and Chloë Sevigny, leading to speculation about Sevigny’s consent.
Two of the females who lodged a grievance with Sag-Aftra were being considered for callback auditions for the roles of DeAngelo’s victims in The Policeman. The third female did not show up for her callback audition after learning about inappropriate comments made by Gallo towards other women.
According to a complaint filed, Gallo reportedly made explicit sexual comments to one of the actors and also told them they must genuinely fear for their life if they did not comply with their demands.
According to reports, Gallo stated the following: “If I threaten to kill you unless you perform oral sex on me, I expect you, as a person and not just a character or actor, to genuinely fear for your life if you disobey.”
He proceeded to inform her that she had no authority over the filming, even though the movie contained explicit content.
“In the scenario where this is happening to you, I urge you to take all the necessary steps to handle the situation, just as you would in real life. While you will not actually perform oral sex on me, I hold all the power and you have no control. I am completely in charge,” Gallo allegedly told the woman, according to the accusation.
The performer, referred to as “Emily” in the Rolling Stone piece, was instructed not to inquire about an intimacy coordinator during the callback audition, despite the film’s sexual themes.
According to Emily’s statement to Rolling Stone, Gallo seemed to be in control. She also questioned if anyone would actually hold Gallo accountable for any potentially inappropriate actions.
Emily informed Rolling Stone that she never felt completely safe from the situation, which appeared to her as a potential breeding ground for sexual misconduct on set.
Another performer, known by the alias “Jane”, also claimed that it seemed like others working on the movie were under Gallo’s influence. Jane stated that Gallo supposedly shared his “torture porn fantasies” with her during the audition.
According to a complaint filed with Rolling Stone, the actor stated that the director wanted to create a completely improvised filming atmosphere.
Gallo informed the actor and her agent that there were multiple films that could be created without an intimacy coordinator or pre-planned choreography, involving sexual acts such as simulated rape and bondage using shoelaces.
Gallo and Franco’s representatives did not reply to the Guardian’s request for comment. The representative from Cast Iron Studios, responsible for casting the Policeman, also did not respond to the Guardian’s request.
Cast Iron Studios stated in a comment to Rolling Stone that they advocated for performers and had positive experiences on set.
The statement expressed gratitude towards the actresses for their bravery in speaking out and offered sincere apologies for their negative experience, which was also unfamiliar to the company.
A spokesperson from Gertner and Pacific Media Productions informed Rolling Stone that claims of inappropriate comments were treated with great concern. As a result, a Sag-Aftra intimacy coordinator was brought on board for the production.
“Our team, including the producers, director, cast, and crew, takes pride in the creation of this film,” stated the spokesperson.
Source: theguardian.com
