In a recent revelation, renowned actress Ashley Judd disclosed that she was a victim of s–ual harassment by a powerful figure from a major film studio while working on her thriller movie “Kiss the Girls” in 1997.
Judd unveiled these distressing details in an exclusive feature for Variety’s Power of Women edition.
She recounted that the disturbing incident took place shortly after she had finished a course in gender studies and despite considering herself a feminist back then, she failed to recognize the severity of the situation.
Reflecting on the traumatic experience, Judd expressed, “It took me years to comprehend the gravity of that encounter and acknowledge its unethical and illegal nature.”
During the candid interview, Judd narrated how she was repeatedly summoned to the hotel room of the unidentified mogul from a rival studio under the guise of discussing potential roles in his productions.
She described the unsettling progression of events, revealing, “It unfolded in stages.
It was repulsive.
He used manipulative tactics like asking for my assistance in choosing his attire.”
The situation reached a distressing point when the individual attempted to coerce Judd into witnessing him shower.
Recalling the chilling moment, Judd asserted, “I retorted with something along the lines of, ‘When I clinch an Academy Award in one of your movies.’
He responded, ‘No, when you receive a nomination.’
I persisted, ‘No, no, when I triumph at the Academy Awards.'”
Subsequent to the harrowing encounter, Judd disclosed that she never received any movie offers from the mogul’s studio.
With hindsight, she lamented her decision not to take legal action promptly, admitting, “That was the right course of action, given my intellect.”
Furthermore, Judd disclosed that she discovered over time that the same mogul had harassed other women within the film industry.
Although she refrained from disclosing the executive’s identity to Variety, she hinted that he had been the focus of a prominent article in a national publication.
She affirmed that if she had been approached by the magazine for comments on the featured individual, she would have shared her personal ordeal.
This is not the first instance where Judd has spoken out about encountering s–ual misconduct in Hollywood.
In a previous interview in 2014 regarding the film “A Dolphin’s Tale 2,” she vaguely referenced the incident involving the executive – omitting the shower-related details – and shed light on instances where producers made inappropriate remarks towards her on set.
In recent times, numerous actors in Hollywood have stepped forward to address the prevalent misogyny in the entertainment realm, with Rose McGowan leading the charge.
McGowan, an actress and director, has been vocal about exposing sexism in Hollywood after facing repercussions for highlighting gender bias in a casting call that encouraged actresses to wear provocative attire.
Buzzfeed has hailed her as “Hollywood’s feminist whistleblower.”
