Mira Sorvino recalls how casting director gagged her with condom when she was 16
Mira Sorvino is recalling the horrors she has faced in Hollywood. Mira recalled that there had been a number of instances in which she came face to face with such situations and added that all her friends were convinced that one must have sex with people if they wanted to make a name for themselves in the industry.
While appearing on The HFPA in Conversation podcast, the actress claimed that she was tied to a chair and gagged with a condom a director pulled out of his pocket during an audition when she was just 16 years old. Mira claims that the incident happened in one of her first auditions when she was new to Hollywood.
"In order to scare me for this horror movie scene, he tied me to a chair, he bruised my arm, and I was 16 years old, and then he gagged me, and I was all game because I'm trying to be scared for the scene," she recalled. And at the end, he takes the gag out of my mouth and he said, 'Sorry for the prophylactic,' so he had gagged me with a condom." While Mira did not name the director or the movie she was auditioning for.
Even though several other actresses did not hesitate to sleep their way to the industry, Mira insists that she "was never willing to so" and "never did". While Mira was proud of her stand, she did confess there were a number of good movie opportunities that she had to give up on due to the same reason.
Mira also confessed that she had been sexually harassed by "a big director who has gotten Oscars and is known for his social justice profile in some of these movies". She alleges he told her, "You know, as I look at you my mind can't help but traveling from the artistic possibilities and the sexual." However, she said that "In my mind, the thing going on in my head, was 'Oh. I thought this was a legitimate meeting."
She added, "I thought this was an actual, you had me here because you thought I was talented or that I brought something that would be good for this role. Not that you were here fishing to see if I was going to have an affair with you. I know for a fact that's why I didn't get that part." Mira is one among the many who came forward and accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.
The actress claimed that he tried to massage her in a hotel room at the 1995 Toronto International Film Festival. She added that he chased her around so that she would have sex with him. Mira recalled that Harvey even came to her house but since she had called a male friend for protection, nothing happened. Harvey has since been accused of nearly 80 women and more.