Hello,
Sadly todays post is on the darker side of acting, but an extremely important topic that should not be ignored. Yesterday I received an email from my Agent with a letter attached regarding a sexual predator, preying on even the most savvy of actors on acting sites and seducing them into sending explicit videos. It seems that he manipulates them by playing on their hopes and dreams and built up a fake profile, suggesting that he is better connect than he really is.
Please spread the word and help to stamp out this kind of behaviour at the root. The silver lining here is that these issues are being addressed and taken seriously like never before. Anyone who has been through anything similar please report them. This is the only way that we can stop this and make the industry a safer place.
More in my podcast 'ACTING WITH ASHA" released next month. Follow https://www.instagram.com/jadeashaa/ for more updates.
Jade Asha
Dear Casting Platforms,
It has come to our attention that some national and international casting platforms have been utilized in order to gain access to actresses, seemingly dozens of whom have been scammed into making sexually explicit self-tapes, in many cases up to ten tapes of an increasingly graphic nature. From the email chains we have obtained, the alleged perpetrator is extremely predatory. He seems to understand how casting works and exactly how to manipulate actors, playing on their hopes and aspirations in order to pressure even the most reticent into giving him what he wants. He was apparently able to gain the trust even of some talent agencies by faking credits on respected international platforms. We are in the process of having those removed. And now he’s even asking actresses to sign NDAs so that they ostensibly can’t legally disclose information about their exchanges. The Casting Society of America has been alerted, and we are asking our ICDN members to post on social media in order to get the word out. We are also looking into whether a criminal inquiry may be initiated. Similar activity has been noted dating back to at least 2015. Because he is actively working as we speak to target actresses (he just posted another notice over the weekend) we believe that the fastest way to warn away actors is to ask all casting platforms to issue a generic warning, ideally in the form of a breakdown, to all of the agencies – and importantly, unrepresented talent – who subscribe to their services. **The authorities have so far advised us not to actually name him, though** In addition, we have set up an email address to which anyone who has been targeted is highly encouraged to report the exchange: reportcastingabuse@theicdn.com – please feel free to disseminate that as widely as possible to your subscribers. The ICDN feels very strongly that it’s the moral duty of the entire entertainment industry to protect our actors, especially those most vulnerable to exploitation such as this. If you are able to send out this warning we are requesting, please include a very important reminder: Nudity clauses are negotiated during the contracting phase. Nobody will ever ask you to “prove” your willingness to simulate sexual acts on-screen, or to appear nude, either in a self-tape or in-person audition. If you don’t feel right about something you are being asked to do, and don’t have an agent to turn to, please email the ICDN “hotline” we’ve set up, at the address above. Timka Grin President of the Board, ICDN
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