JOHANNESBURG- Actress Samkelo Ndlovu has revealed she was left shaken by an encounter with a director she accused of making suggestive moves towards her.
Samkelo has spoken up about the dangers of sexual harassment within the entertainment industry, “It really only happened to me once and it’s not something that I have shed light on or wanted the spotlight to be on me about. You know this whole casting couch thing where ‘if you want this role‚ wink‚ wink’. I must have been 21 and he is a well-known director right now. I was in danger because we were alone in the room but my reflexes were better than his.”
Samkelo was speaking about her encounters within the industry during an interview at Afternoon Express, and when casting ‘couches’ turn into asking for “favours” for a role.
“I just remember that day. I remember calling my agent crying and saying to her‚ ‘this is what happened. I can’t believe that he did this’. He didn’t touch me or do anything but the suggestiveness of it really hit home.”
Samkelo only regrets not speaking up at that time to make more women aware.
Veteran actress Pamela Nomvete shared her own experience in November and where she said the incident left her feeling violated,
“He was telling me: ‘You will have to be naked in this film so I want you to be comfortable with me’. And I was thinking: ‘Yeah‚ I know that in the movies we are‚ and especially as women you kind of have to show your t*ts if you going to make it. If I want to get that award I have to show my t*ts’. So I went there thinking: ‘Let me just do this’ and something‚ maybe my ancestors‚ spoke to me and there was a point I thought‚ ‘No‚ I can’t do this’. I kind of ran out the house but‚ you know‚ literally humiliated‚ grabbing my clothes.”
Photo Credit- Image: Instagram
Leave a Reply