The actor Vincent Gallo is being investigated by the Sag-Aftra union after several women alleged he made inappropriate remarks to them during the casting process for the movie The Policeman.
At least three women reported Gallo to the actors’ union for sexually explicit and unsettling comments he allegedly made during the casting process for the film in November 2023, Rolling Stone first reported.
A Sag representative confirmed to Rolling Stone that the investigation was under way, but declined to answer specific questions.
“We extensively engaged with production regarding the complaints and while shooting has wrapped, we continue to monitor and investigate,” the representative said.
The movie, written and directed by Jordan Gertner, is about rapist and serial killer James DeAngelo, known as the Golden State Killer. Filming for the movie took place in December 2023.
Gallo, 62, stars as DeAngelo, alongside actor James Franco, who plays a character named Babcock. Gallo is widely known for directing and starring in the 2003 film The Brown Bunny. The film received criticism for an “unsimulated” sex scene between Gallo and actor Chloë Sevigny, prompting concern if Sevigny was pressured into the act.
Two of the women who filed a complaint with Sag-Aftra were in callback auditions to play DeAngelo’s victims in The Policeman. The third woman did not attend her callback audition after hearing about comments Gallo made to other women.
In one filed complaint, Gallo allegedly told one of the actors that she must “truly believe you will die if you don’t do as I say”, in addition to sexually explicit comments.
“If I say to suck my dick or I will kill you, I want you, you the person, not you the character, not you the actor, but you, to truly believe you will die if you don’t do as I say,” Gallo reportedly said.
He went on to tell her that she had “no control” during the filming process, despite the movie’s sexual and violent nature.
“And just like you would in real life, if this were happening to you, I want you to do all of the actions necessary to do that. You won’t actually suck my dick, but you do not have the power, I have all the power. You have no control, I am in complete control,” Gallo told the woman, according to the complaint.
The actor, identified by the pseudonym “Emily” in the Rolling Stone article, was also told to not ask about an intimacy coordinator during the callback audition process, despite the film’s sexual content.
Emily told Rolling Stone that it felt as if Gallo was “running the show”. She questioned if anyone would legitimately check potentially inappropriate behavior from Gallo.
“I never felt truly protected from all of this, from what frankly was looking to me like a recipe for sexual misconduct on set,” Emily told Rolling Stone.
Another actor, referred to by the pseudonym “Jane”, also said it appeared others involved in the film were “under Gallo’s spell”. Jane said Gallo allegedly discussed his “torture porn fantasies” with her during the audition.
“He then proceeded to tell me that the filming environment he wanted to create was one that was fully improvised,” the actor said in a filed complaint, Rolling Stone reported.
Gallo also told the actor and her agent that several films involving sexual acts could be improvised and filmed without an intimacy coordinator or prior choreography, including simulated rape scenes and bondage with shoe laces.
Representatives for Gallo and Franco did not respond to requests for comment from the Guardian. A representative of Cast Iron Studios, who cast the Policeman, did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment.
In a comment to Rolling Stone, Cast Iron Studios said the casting studio “fought hard behind the scenes” on behalf of performers and had positive experiences on set.
“We thank the actresses for their courage to come forward, and express our deepest apologies for their experience, which was indeed a first for us, too,” it said in a statement.
A representative for Gertner and Pacific Media Productions told Rolling Stone that allegations regarding inappropriate remarks were taken “very seriously” and that a Sag-Aftra intimacy coordinator was ultimately hired for the production.
“The producers, director, cast, and crew are proud of the movie we have made,” the spokesperson said.
