Actor Kate Beckinsale had some really lousy things happen to her in her career as a young star darling of '90s and early 2000s films.
In a recent post on Instagram, the actor went into detail about some of the abuses the filming industry was doing back then, up to and including making her do an already-booked photo shoot the day after a miscarriage.
"I said, ‘I can’t. I’m bleeding. I don’t want to go and change my clothes in front of people I don’t know and do a photo shoot. I’m bleeding out a miscarriage,' She was like, ‘You’ll have to, or you’ll be sued.'"
She also discussed the staggering amount of powerlessness that actresses felt with producer Harvey Weinstein. She said that it was known that if he wanted you in a film or project, you had to be in it, or he would call up everyone else hiring in Hollywood and you would be out of a career.
Beckinsale did not experience any of the sexual assault that Weinstein perpetrated upon other actresses, for which she said she was thankful.
Still, she discussed the career pressures the weight of his power in Hollywood put upon her and other actresses.
"Absolutely famous for if you turned down a film...a movie or production deal, he would get on the phone and talk to every director in town and every magazine editor and say 'Don't use her.' And it worked."
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People really felt for Beckinsale's pain about that moment.
They had strong words for the powerful producers and other decision makers in Hollywood.
Others were happy for her being able to speak up after all these years about the issues she faced in the industry.
Many people pointed out that perhaps her publicist wasn't ultimately to blame, but her contract and her lawyers.
Someone said it was still a choice for her to do the photoshoot.
People pushed back on this reading of the situation.
Many people called for more light to be shed on the terrible practices of the entertainment industry.
Beckinsale's most recent role is the star of Canary Black, a CIA action-thriller.
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