The Harvey Weinstein scandal has finally given women a platform to share their experiences with sexual harassment. Actress Alyssa Milano started a campaign on Twitter called "Me too," which encourages women to tweet the two words if they have ever dealt with any form of sexual abuse. Meanwhile, women in Hollywood continue to talk about their experiences with industry heads. Lisa Guerrero is the latest to speak out, revealing an encounter she had with producer Steven Seagal in the 90s.
Private rehearsal
Guerrero was pursuing an acting career in the 1990s and was given an opportunity to get the lead roll in Seagal's "Fire Down Below." When she was told the audition would be at his mansion, she and her agent agreed that casting director Shari Rhodes should accompany her.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Guerrero arrived to see Seagal in only his bathrobe. He seemed surprised to see Rhodes, she claimed. The actress-turned-journalist describes the home as very Asian inspired. She was invited into another room to audition, where she said Seagal sat on a throne to watch her.
“You’re fantastic. You’re fabulous," said the producer. When she returned home, she received a call saying that Seagal wanted her to come back for a "private rehearsal" the same night.
Downsized
Since she didn't feel comfortable at the first audition, Guerrero decided to reject the producer's request for a private one. She told The Hollywood Reporter that she later received a call telling her that she no longer had the lead role due to her rejection.
The journalist was offered a smaller role which would only take one day to shoot, and as an aspiring actress, she took what she could get.
When she was on set, Guerrero claims that Seagal was with a group of men staring at her and laughing. He immediately asked her to come to his dressing room, but she rejected his request yet again.
He simply walked away, and Guerrero never saw even her small part make the film.
"There’s not a human resources person to go to when you’re working on a film," she said, speaking about the dangers of the film industry. Guerrero said she has been sharing this story for quite a while now, with friends as well as actresses who she has worked with.
While she has always been open about warning others not to go to Seagal's home alone, it was the Harvey Weinstein stories that made her go public with her story. She said that reading about Weinstein opening up the door for young actresses in only his robe is what really brought back vivid images for her.
Guerrero decided that she would get into journalism after the experience, saying that she figured she would have more control over her own fate. Though she says that women in Hollywood are much more vulnerable, she has still discovered "creeps in sportscasting."