Sir Ian McKellan has implied women are partly responsible for the sexual harassment scandal that’s threatening to take Hollywood down entirely.
In a members only event, the X-Men and Lord of the Rings actor told the Oxford Union some actresses in the 60s would write DRR – director’s rights repected – on their headshot, indicating they were would have sex for roles.
The 78-year-old also expressed his concern that men will be “wrongly accused”.
“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.”
His comments weren’t all out of step, however. He condemned Kevin Spacey for admitting he was guilty of sexual harassment, but coming out of the closet at the same time.
“The circumstances in which he chose to do it are reprehensible because it linked alleged underage sex with a declaration of sexuality.”
He said he hoped “we are going through a period which will help to eradicate it [harassment] all together.”
“People taking advantage of their power is utterly reprehensible anywhere it happens, within the family… in the work place, doesn’t have to be the theatre, doesn’t have to be Hollywood, it could be the local shop. It could be parliament, wherever it happens, it won’t do. People must be called out, and it’s sometimes very difficult for victims to do that.”