By Beth Harris
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) --Lorraine Toussaint welcomes the idea of intimacy coaches on television and film sets, even if the actress wasn't quite sure what the job entails.
Informed that such coaches help stage scenes involving sex that are respectful to the actors, the 58-year-old star of NBC's upcoming series "The Village" told a TV critics meeting on Tuesday that she was forced to be her own advocate when no one else was around.
"I've been a bit of a Nazi about making sure that it's a closed set and that includes even sound," Toussaint said. "It is highly choreographed. It is highly rehearsed. And then everyone has to go away."
Toussaint joined Jennifer Carpenter of new series "The Enemy Within," Retta of "Good Girls" and Susan Kelechi Watson of "This Is Us" in agreeing that they're seeing changes in on-set culture since the emergence of the #MeToo movement.
"The greatest part of it is many men didn't even know that this was inappropriate or offensive. It has been so commonplace," said Toussaint, whose show debuts March 12. "So part of what's happening is the re-education of men in the workplace."
Carpenter added, "Many men have been really supportive of the movement."
Retta noticed last season's male guest stars expressed disbelief to the female stars of "Good Girls" that men thought they could get away with such demeaning behavior.
"They think it's insane," she said. "I was like, 'Yeah, it's not insane.'"
Watson said a meeting was held to discuss what is and isn't appropriate behavior on the set of the hit NBC series.
"There are some things that are so ingrained because it's been allowed to go on for so long," Watson said. "Just simple phrases of language that we use, we don't realize the possibilities of what's inherent in that. So there became a consciousness about even that, which I found really respectful."
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More