Chloe Sevigny calls out 'line-crossing' directors at Cannes
US actress Chloe Sevigny has claimed three "big male directors" subjected her to "crossing-the-line weirdness" while meeting with them to discuss roles.
The directors, whom she did not name, had urged her to expose herself on screen, offered to buy her clothes and made other suggestive overtures.
"I remember going to audition for a really big male director and being told 'You should show your body off more, you should be naked on screen'," the 41-year-old told an audience in Cannes.
"I've also had the 'What are you doing after this?' conversation [and] the 'Do you want to go shopping and try on some clothes?'. I did not get the parts obviously."
Asked if she considered this to be sexual harassment, the actress answered: "I would consider that Hollywood."
"Was it sexual harassment?" she continued. "I mean, it's such a fine line."
Sevigny, who was Oscar nominated for 1999 film Boys Don't Cry, also said she had been "frustrated for over 20 years" about the way men and women in the film industry were respectively portrayed by the media.
"[Look at] the award ceremonies and how unfairly the women are judged over the men in their tuxedos.
"When women on set become a little emotional or impassioned even, they're instantly labelled as hysterical or crazy and have a hard time getting hired again."
She said there was a "double standard" that a male film-maker who behaved in a similar fashion would be "embraced" as a "a mad, crazy, wild director".
Sevigny's comments came during the Women in Motion series of talks on women and cinema at the Cannes Film Festival.
The organisation promotes "openness and diversity on the silver screen".
Jodie Foster, Juliette Binoche, Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis have taken part in the talks, sharing their experiences of working in the film industry.
The former Thelma and Louise stars were reunited on the 25th anniversary of the cult film, but said the feminist road trip movie would unlikely be made today and expressed disappointment the film didn't pave the way for more films with female stars.
Sarandon pointed to the fact there are "still many more male executives" making casting decisions for the gender imbalance in Hollywood films.
Sevigny will also present Kitty, her directorial debut, at the festival on Thursday.
The Big Love star is one of 12 female "creatives" who have been invited to make short films for the women-focused media company Refinery29.
Others include Twilight star Kristen Stewart and Empire cast member Gabourey Sidibe.