This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/uk/413601-ian-mckellen-sex-women/

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Sir Ian McKellen says women partly to blame for Hollywood sex pest scandal Women who offered sex for acting jobs exploited, but some playing the victim – Sir Ian McKellen
(about 1 hour later)
One of Britain’s most treasured actors has spoken out about the Hollywood sex scandal. Sir Ian McKellen told Oxford University students at a recent talk that women who offer sex in return for acting work are also to blame. One of Britain’s most treasured actors has spoken out about the Hollywood sex scandal. Sir Ian McKellen told Oxford students that women who offered sex for acting work were taken advantage of, but many are playing the victim.
McKellen, known for playing King Lear, Gandalf and Magneto, started out as an actor in the 1960s when he claims offering sex for roles was rife. “People must be called out and it’s sometimes very difficult for victims to do that,” the six-time Laurence Olivier Award winner said. McKellen, known for playing King Lear, Gandalf and Magneto, started out as an actor in the 1960s in the theater, when he claims offering sex for roles was rife.
“I hope we’re going through a period that will help to eradicate it altogether. But from my own experience, when I was starting acting in the early Sixties, the director of the theatre I was working at showed me some photographs he got from women who were wanting jobs... some of them had at the bottom of their photograph ‘DRR’ — directors’ rights respected. In other words, if you give me a job, you can have sex with me. “When I was starting acting in the early 1960s, the director of the theatre I was working at showed me some photographs he got from some women who were wanting jobs,” he told students at the intimate Oxford talk.
“That was commonplace from people who proposed that they should be a victim. Madness. People have taken advantage of that and encouraged it and it absolutely will not do.” “They were actors. Some of them had – and i think these were the initials – DRR: Director’s rights respected. In other words, if you give me a job you can have sex with me.
McKellen also said he was concerned about the impact of wrongful accusations. “That was commonplace from people who propose that they should be a victim. I mean, madness. So people are taking advantage of that and encouraged it, and it absolutely will not do.”
The thespian told students at a private talk at the Oxford Union in November that while he believes victims should come forward, some innocent individuals may be wrongfully accused as well. McKellen also while sex pest revelations in the industry can only do good, some will suffer from the impact of wrongful accusations.
“I assume nothing but good will come out of these revelations, even though some people get wrongly accused — there’s that side of it as well,” the 78-year-old said. “I just assume nothing but good will come out of these revelations,” the 78-year-old said. “Even though some people get wrongly accused, there’s that side of it as well.”
McKellen, who founded Stonewall, a charity devoted to securing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, also condemned Kevin Spacey’s decision to come out in the wake of lurid accusations made by Rent actor Anthony Rapp, who alleged the House of Cards star molested him. Rapp was underage at the time of the alleged attack. The iconic British thespian did point out that sexual harassment is not an issue in the media alone.
“The circumstances in which he chose to do it are reprehensible because it linked alleged underage sex with a declaration of sexuality,” said McKellen, who had worked at the Old Vic theatre in London with Spacey when the latter was the artistic director. “Of course, people taking advantage of their power is absolutely reprehensible, wherever it happens,” he said.
“[It is] in the workplace - doesn’t have to be the theater, doesn’t have to be in Hollywood – it could be the local shop, it could be parliament – it won’t do, wherever it happens.
“People must be called out. And it’s sometimes very difficult for victims to do that.”
McKellen, who founded Stonewall, a charity devoted to securing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, was asked by Oxford Union president Chris Zabilowicz about Kevin Spacey’s decision to come out in the wake of lurid accusations made by Rent actor Anthony Rapp, who alleged the House of Cards star molested him. Rapp was underage at the time of the alleged attack.
“It’s not something I want to talk about in public, it’s a complicated issue,” McKellen began, pausing to choose his words carefully.
“I’ve worked for Kevin Spacey when he was running the Old Vic and was in pantomime there.
“I think it is a matter of celebration when anybody comes out because their life is going to be better but the circumstances in which he chose to do it are, I suppose you could say, reprehensible, because it linked alleged underage sex with a declaration of sexuality and that’s murky and undesirable.”