Matthew Lawrence, best known for Mrs. Doubtfire and his years as a member of the Boy Meets World cast ensemble, has spoken out about some incredibly unfortunate experiences he encountered in Hollywood throughout his career. The actor, who is now 43 years old, claimed that his refusal of sexual advances from a prominent Hollywood director resulted in him losing a significant role in an impending Marvel film and other professional setbacks.
In the latest episode of the Brotherly Love podcast, During a conversation with his brothers and co-hosts, the Melissa and Joey actor disclosed that an Oscar-winning director offered him the opportunity to play a coveted superhero in a film. While he did not reveal the director’s identity or the nature of the alleged project, Lawrence asserted that the filmmaker invited him to a hotel room for a meeting that was not intended to be strictly business. Following Lawrence:
Yeah, there’s been many times in my life where I’ve been propositioned to get a huge role. I’ve lost my agency because I went to the hotel room, which I can’t believe they would send me to, of a very prominent Oscar award-winning director who showed up in his robe, asked me to take my clothes off and said he needed to take Polaroids of me. And that if I did X, Y, and Z, I would be the next ‘Marvel’ character.
Again, the actor didn’t reveal any names, specific dates for this alleged encounter, or any other identifying details. But he claims turning down the director caused him to get dropped by his agent, with the idea being that the role would have been quite lucractive for them both.
In the same breath, he highlighted the double standard that he thinks exists when it comes to male actors talking about sexual harassment versus how things go when female actors share such claims. He continued:
I didn’t do that, and my agency fired me because I left this director’s room. A lot of my other male friends have gone through [it], both men and women, but there’s a double standard.
Lawrence then referenced Terry Crews of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, who was derided by 50 Cent and others when he came forward with his sexual assault story. Terry Crews appeared on Capitol Hill in 2018 to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about his experience with sexual assault, for those unaware. The White Chicks actor claimed in an emotional deposition that Hollywood agent Adam Venit sexually assaulted him by grasping his genitalia. Crews has been an ardent supporter of the #MeToo movement and an outspoken critic of toxic masculinity. He turned down a role in the fourth installment of The Expendables because he allegedly received threats from a producer for going public with his story.
The Brotherly Love actor had this to say about how Crews has been treated since coming forward:
Terry Crews comes out and says it, and everyone begins to chuckle. His support is lacking. He is kicked out. Why? Because he is a man who embodies masculinity, I believe our culture is less prepared to learn about this situation involving men than it is with women.
Even though actors such as Terry Crews and Brendan Fraser have come forward with allegations, the Boy Meets World alum still believes that many male actors are hesitant to express their own truths if they are not immediately taken seriously. He said:
In the industry, I do not believe that many men have openly discussed this topic. Similarly, a similar circumstance exists. Now granted, this is approximately a third of what women go through. Quantity of males… Whether it’s a woman in power or a male in power, men experience the same thing.
Matthew Lawrence’s disturbing story sheds light on the pervasive abuse of power that has long been a ghoul in Hollywood’s closet, due to the sometimes inhumane pressures on actors of any gender to conform to the demands of those in positions of authority. You can view the entire Brotherly Love podcast and hear the actor discuss his experience in the following video.
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