'Pirates of the Caribbean' Star Claims ‘Difficult’ Director Requested Nude Audition for Movie With No Nudity

Kaya Scodelario, who starred in the Maze Runner movies and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

Kaya Scodelario, who starred in the Maze Runner movies and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, claimed she was once asked to strip down during an audition for a movie that did not have any nudity required. Scodelario, 29, came forward after women accused actor and director Noel Clarke of sexual misconduct, including filming a naked audition without an actress' consent. Scodelario did not make allegations against Clarke herself but said it was a "notoriously difficult director" who asked her to remove her clothes in an audition.

On Friday, Scodelario retweeted playwright Bola Agbaje, who was shocked by the "naked audition" allegation against Clarke. Scodelario then shared her own experience. "I had [an] audition for a job a few years ago. It said 'she just needs to come in. Take her clothes off and that's all,'" Scodelario recalled. "I was terrified. Luckily I have an agent who swiftly said there was no way that was going to happen. This was a big movie. A big director. A big 'opportunity.'"

Most young actors do not have this kind of "safety net," Scodelario wrote, so they might believe being asked to strip in an audition is normal. "They will assume that it is normal for an [actress'] worth to be measured by the body they have. By the amount of skin they are willing to show," she wrote. "We have been conditioned to believe this."

Scodelario recalled another situation where she and another actress were competing for the same role. They "both worked very hard" to impress the "notoriously difficult director" on the film, and they auditioned several times. The director emailed their agents, saying that the first actress to agree to "go nude" in an audition would get the part. "The movie had no nudity in it," Scodelerio noted. "He just wanted [to] see who'd say yes."

Later, Scodelario said she will still feel anxiety when she wakes up, even though she did not name names. "I'm still going to feel scared," she wrote. "The women who come forward openly are so brave. I am in awe of you all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She went on to thank fans for their support and said she is "taking steps to ensure the people I referenced in my tweets are held accountable."

Earlier this week, The Guardian reported that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) was notified of allegations of sexual harassment, bullying, and verbal abuse against Clarke, 13 days before Clarke accepted its prestigious Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award. The outlet spoke to 20 women, including Gina Powell, who accused Clarke of secretly filming naked auditions. Clarke denied any "sexual misconduct or wrongdoing and intend to defend myself against these false allegations." After The Guardian published its article, BAFTA suspended his award and membership.

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