Famous actress Ellen Barkin came forward with allegations against “Sea of Love” director Harold Becker and spoke of her alleged mistreatment in Hollywood.
Barkin compared her past experiences with her refreshing new journey on the set of Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face,” where she said she finally felt “relaxed and safe,” according to HuffPost. Barkin’s interview touched on a series of challenges that she claims threatened her safety on set. She spoke openly about being fully naked on the set of “Sea of Love,” and described how she was allegedly treated by Becker.
Ellen Barkin reveals a male director once allegedly “walked over and literally ripped my merkin off” during a nude scene and told her: “What do you need this for? Nobody’s looking at you.” Barkin added: “This is what [the industry’s] like.” https://t.co/bq8ENJ7Z4d
— Variety (@Variety) February 21, 2023
“What was I going to do when [director] Harold Becker on ‘Sea of Love’ walks over and literally rips my merkin off, taking some pubic hair with him and saying: ‘What do you need this for? Nobody’s looking at you,'” Barkin alleged, the outlet reported. A merkin is a small piece of fabric that covers the essential bits.
Three years prior to that incident, Barkin said she was auditioning for a role in “The Big Easy,” and she claims the producer made misogynistic comments toward her while director, Jim McBride, spoke out in favor of her getting the part, HuffPost reported.
“The producer said in front of me, ‘She looks like a girl who could give you a disease,'” Barkin told HuffPost. (RELATED: Marilyn Manson Settles Sexual Assault Lawsuit With ‘Game Of Thrones’ Actress Esmé Bianco)
Ellen Barkin talks Hollywood misogyny and the Johnny Depp trial: “I could deal without all those men” https://t.co/fjIPXu33eW pic.twitter.com/2J0tmrveWg
— The A.V. Club (@TheAVClub) February 22, 2023
Barkin spoke of her alleged experiences but also took note of the fact that her experiences paled in comparison to that of other female actresses.
“This is what [the industry’s] like,” Barkin said to HuffPost. “And I had an easy time with it, believe me.”
The famous actress described the reputation she was handed in the industry and said she was “typecast first as the ugly girlfriend,” then “I went right into the voracious sex symbol, and then I went to mean old lady. So it makes perfect sense — man’s view of me.”
Her time on set of “Poker Face” changed all of that for the 68-year-old actress.
“I was never taken care of like this. Never,” she said, the outlet reported.