American actor Frank Langella was removed from the lead role in the Netflix series The Fall of Usher in mid-April after an investigation into alleged unacceptable behavior, including allegations of sexual harassment against an actress.

The streaming service only released a terse statement about the ouster, but Langella recently wrote an open letter about why she had to leave the series amid stormy circumstances.

“On March 25 this year, we shot a love scene with an actress who played my young wife in the series. We were both fully dressed, I was sitting on a sofa, he was standing in front of me. Then the actress said: "he touched my leg, this was not in the script". Then he walked out, and the director and the intimacy coordinator followed him. I wanted to go after them, but they asked me to make room for them. I waited for about an hour and was told that the shooting would not continue that day, as the actress would not be returning," wrote the 84-year-old actor, who would have played Roderick Usher in the Edgar Allan Poe adaptation, but from now on Bruce Greenwood continues the role.

Langella tried to catch up with her colleague, but she told him to leave her alone. Not long after, an investigation was launched into the matter, and Netflix told the actor by phone that because he did not follow the instructions of the intimacy coordinator on the set, his contract would be terminated with immediate effect, The Hollywood Reporter wrote .

According to the artist's confession, the problem was that the coordinator determined exactly where he could put his hands on his colleague's body. To this, Langella replied that he thought this was completely absurd, because it would make a love scene mechanical, even though it should give the impression of instinct.

“Yes, indeed I said so, and I still think so. We were shooting a love scene. I think the legal regulation of the placement of hands is ridiculous, because it kills spontaneity," added Langella, who as a senior actor felt that he had to create a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, so he joked during filming, for which he was also accused.

"Your colleague didn't like it when you called her baby or honey, and she didn't even like it when you hugged her or touched her shoulder. You can't do that, Frank! You can't be kidding! You can't compliment! You can't touch anyone! This is a new system"

the actor quoted the producer's accusations.

According to Langella, he was not even given a chance to defend his position. His request to initiate a personal conversation with the unnamed actress was rejected, and the director and producer did not respond to his letters.

“I was deleted. Just like that, simply. I've lost an exciting role, the opportunity to get paid in the future, and I may have to face unemployment. Netflix fired me after three months on the job with only three weeks left in the shoot and I had only recently received my full fee for my services. But the most terrible thing is that my reputation has been tarnished," said the actor to Deadline , who says that the harmful effect of the case on him is incalculable.

"Abolishment culture is the exact opposite of democracy. It makes conversation and debate impossible, but most tragically, it destroys moral judgment.

It's not fair and it's not American in the least," concluded Langella, whose character will be cut from the series, and scenes will be reshot with Bruce Greenwood.

The series, originally expected for 2023, will most likely be delayed further because of this - filming was originally supposed to be completed in May, which was pushed to the end of June, but due to the change of actors, it can probably be completed months later.

Source: hirado.hu

Featured Image: Frank Langella / Matthew Eisman/Getty