CW: Abuse and sexual assault
Isabelle Shaw
Abuse is prominent in the acting industry. The way the industry works facilitates powerful figures to exploit their power over actors, especially young and vulnerable children. The extent of abuse reflects our current society: it is an extension of the ‘rape culture’ deeply ingrained in the modern world.
Thanks to the rising bravery of actors, accounts of abuse and the acting industry’s condoning of it have been highlighted. However, years of unchecked and unpunished abuse are difficult to eradicate, as well as the structures that make it possible. As a result, abuse unfortunately remains prominent to this day.
Parents control their children’s acting careers
It is heartbreaking to read the numerous unsettling accounts of young actors being mistreated by directors, older actors, and even their own parents. American actress Jennette McCurdy, famed for her roles in iCarly and Sam and Cat, has revealed her abusive mother pushed her into acting. Without protection from anyone in her team, McCurdy’s mother was able to control all aspects of her life.
“McCurdy’s grotesque mistreatment can be tied to her career as an actress”
She notes in her memoir ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’ that her mum continued to wash her and her older brother well into adolescence. In addition to hinting about sexual abuse, McCurdy outlines her mother’s frequent encouragement to stay underweight, lie about her age, and succeed at all costs. She also sent McCurdy a series of abusive emails, calling her daughter a ‘slut’, after the press exposed her relationship with a partner.
Many aspects of McCurdy’s grotesque mistreatment can be tied to her career as an actress. The same is true of Shirley Temple and Macauley Culkin.
The vulnerability of child actors
More than half of abused children will continue to be abused by other people throughout their lives, which made McCurdy more vulnerable at work. During her time at Nickelodeon, she alludes to ‘The Creator’ verbally abusing children, pitting the actors against each other, and pressuring her into wearing a bikini at a young age. She also repeatedly went to dinner with The Creator, who promised her a spinoff show in return for her complacency.
“McCurdy was offered a large sum of money to stay silent”
As an adult, McCurdy was offered a large sum of money to stay silent about the abuse she experienced at Nickelodeon.
Other actors, such as Alexa Nikolas and Victoria Monet, have also spoken out against the sexualisation of children at Nickelodeon. Their claims are among the many accusations against Dan Schneider (speculated to be The Creator) and his unsafe working environment.
The lack of protection
Abuse is so prominent in the acting industry due to the power dynamic between older staff and young actors, which directors like Schneider exploit.
Actress Alyson Stoner has promoted the role of a ‘school counsellor’ in an acting environment, who would monitor children’s safety and wellbeing during production. Many actors feel confident that support from a third party would help reduce the power imbalance, and thus help create greater safety for young actors.
Stoner has spoken out about her own treatment as a child actor, performing a ‘rape’ scene on camera when she was only six years old.
The legal landscape that covers the prosecution of abuse in the acting industry is extremely small. Stoner’s exposé of the industry highlights that there are no regulations regarding child entertainment by the U.S. Department of Labour. As a result, many young actors are vulnerable to being overworked and exploited.
Going to court
The ability to convict abusers often is complex and unsuccessful.
Back in 2017, Anthony Rapp was unsuccessful in his accusation of Kevin Spacey, who sexually assaulted him in 1986 when Rapp was only 14 years old. This accusation opened the floodgates: more than 30 men have come forward with accusations against Spacey. As of 2023, Spacey is facing a total of twelve charges in court.
Going to trial can be extremely emotionally difficult, especially as a famous actor, which explains why many feel they can’t speak out. Rapp has since shared that he didn’t feel courtrooms were a safe space for those with trauma. The way victims are treated in court can further harm rather than help them – especially when the stress of negative treatment is combined with the trauma of recounting their abuse in front of the abuser.
Facing backlash online
Speaking out about abusers is also difficult due to the extreme amount of online hate that comes from expansive fan bases. During Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s famous trial, both sides were vicious in their attacks.
Domestic violence activist and professor, Margo Lindauer, told Rolling Stone: “It doesn’t feel like there’s the same element of protection for famous women as there is for the men that are accused.”
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Misogyny means people are quick to disbelieve women who speak out against abuse. A prominent example comes from Evan Rachel Wood, who spoke out in 2021 about Marilyn Manson abusing her as a teenager. This led to fans of Manson harassing her online.
Rolling Stone found the monetisation of sexual assault accounts allows fans of the abusers to make money from defence videos. The abusers are seen as lucrative, causing online hate toward female actors, and perpetuating the abuse within the acting industry.
The matter of misogyny
Misogyny is one of the biggest reasons that abusers go unpunished. Dan Schneider left his network following the accusations. But his reputation remains relatively unaffected and he has managed to find other work. On the other hand, actresses who speak out against abuse often have a permanently damaged reputation.
“she lost many acting roles, after standing up against the director for violently raping her”
Sophie Dix and Emily Nestor were discouraged from reporting Weinstein, at the risk of damaging their careers. Dix revealed she lost many acting roles, after standing up against the director for violently raping her. Weinstein had the power and influence to cloud her reputation.
In total, Weinstein faced accusations from 87 women.
Conclusions
The lack of protection for young actors, the exploitation of power dynamics, and the role of misogyny have all contributed to the prominence of abuse in the acting industry.
However, by speaking out against abuse, many actors hope their accounts will inspire a powerful change within the acting industry. The impact of #MeToo and similar movements have outed many abusers, a momentum which will hopefully continue. One day, the acting industry may be a safe environment for everyone.
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Featured image courtesy of Mihai Surdu on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
Isabelle Shaw
Isabelle is a student at the University of Edinburgh studying History and Spanish. She is an aspiring journalist with a focus on writing articles that help contribute to change and understanding of women's rights.