AN Irish casting director has hit out at a culture of those in power taking advantage of the vulnerable in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Brendan McNamara, who has over 20 years’ experience in the TV and film industry having worked on Hollywood blockbusters like The Bourne Supremacy, told The Irish Post a casting director's job is to help and encourage actors not to tear them down.
"I'm sure the Weinstein stories are not isolated, these people are in positions of power where they take advantage of those that are vulnerable," said the London-based Irishman, who has worked with actors including Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen, Vicky McClure and Martin Freeman.
His comments came after Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence revealed she has been forced to take part on a ‘nude line-up’ as part of a movie casting.
Though not something she has witnessed herself, the US actress made the comments in the wake of sexual allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein,
Weinstein has unequivocally denied claims against him and said that all relationships were consensual.
Irish casting director Brendan McNamaraMcNamara described the US actress’ revelations as ‘an awful situation’.
The former actor, whose roles include Warner Bros’ The War of the Buttons and Paramount Pictures’ Angela’s Ashes, added it was not an experience representative of the industry as a whole.
"I've never had to do anything that might be risque, but if I did, we would contact their agent beforehand to make the actor fully aware and make sure they are comfortable with what we are doing," the founder of Beach Casting said.
"We want to put them in a position where they can give us their best and not feel awkward."
Commenting on whether asking women to stand in a naked line-up and lose weight was standard practice, he added: “I don't think that's a normal process at all.
"It just seems horrible and cruel. It's not a casting director's job to say how someone looks or tell them to lose weight, it's our job to find someone who's right for the role."
