US actors' union calls for end to hotel room auditions

A leading US actors’ union, Sag-Aftra, has called for an end to holding auditions in private hotel rooms due to the danger of harassment and exploitation. To help protect members from potential harassment and exploitation, Sag-Aftra released on 12 April a Guideline calling for an end to the practice of holding professional meetings in private hotel rooms or residences. A BBC report on 13 April said Sag-Aftra’s call for change was “to help protect members from potential harassment” and quoted president of Sag-Aftra, Gabrielle Carteris (pictured), saying that such auditions “allowed predators to exploit performers behind closed doors”. The union’s announcement comes after a surge of sexual harassment claims against high profile ‘red carpet’ figures – like Harvey Weinstein – emerge, with many of these supposed incidents thought to have taken place in hotel rooms. As part of its Four Pillars of Change initiative, Sag-Aftra will periodically issue additional Guidelines to provide further insight into steps, which members and industry partners can take to expand workplace safety in the industry. Releasing a report into sexual harassment in March – UK actors’ union Equity joins Sag-Aftra in driving change. Sag-Aftra’s announcement came on the day that two of Weinstein’s accusers – Asia Argento and Ambra Battilana Gutierrez – spoke at the Women in the World summit in New York. In a comment on the summit’s website, Argento (a model) revealed harsh repercussions since coming forward. Source: BBC