Joanna Page has revealed she still experiences inappropriate sexual behaviour on set at 48, recalling past incidents of bullying so severe they left her frozen and unable to speak.
Speaking to Daily Mail columnist Bryony Gordon, the Welsh actress said sexual misconduct toward women in the industry remains common and explained why it is so difficult, particularly for younger performers, to speak out.
The Gavin and Stacey star pointed to ‘huge power imbalances’ that make calling out inappropriate behaviour nearly impossible, even today.
You can listen to this episode of The Life of Bryony by clicking the player below or here
Despite describing herself as ‘quite b****sy’, she recounted two incidents early in her career where the sexual bullying was so extreme it rendered her speechless.
Page made the claims while appearing on The Life of Bryony podcast to promote her new memoir, ‘Lush! My Story – From Swansea to Stacey and Everything in Between’.
‘I can always speak up for myself, but there have been moments where I’ve gone completely mute’, Page said.
‘There was a time working with one actor in the theatre, and oh my God, he was so full on and degrading in the language he used towards me.
‘I told him that nothing was going to happen between us and the way he dealt with that was by being so derogatory.
Joanna Page has revealed she still experiences inappropriate sexual behaviour on set at 48, recalling past incidents of bullying so severe they left her frozen and unable to speak
Speaking to Daily Mail columnist Bryony Gordon, the Welsh actress said sexual misconduct toward women in the industry remains common
However, Page said she felt hopeful after working on the Gavin and Stacey finale, where she noticed women on set had a different attitude, describing them as confident and unapologetic
‘Then, on a different job – I had a scene with this fellow, just me and him. The sexual language he used… it was so awful, it wasn’t banter.
‘I remember calling the producers and saying: ‘I think I have been sexually bullied.’
She added: ‘Women from the early 2000s, we’re used to standing up for ourselves. We’re used to having a bit of banter and giving it back, being a bit of a lad.
‘But when the real hard stuff happens, I have found myself not being able to respond.’
She also recalled a theatre director walking into her dressing room when she was completely naked. He embraced and kissed her while she desperately clutched a curtain around herself.
The actress said: ‘I had to stay there and wait it out until he left.
‘I just said to myself I am not letting this curtain go and will wait for it to be over. There was such a huge power imbalance.’
Although acknowledging actresses have ‘more control’ than when she started her career, Page said she still faces ‘uncomfortable’ situations with sexual undertones on set.
To hear how Page got the job on Gavin and Stacey, listen to the full episode by searching for The Life of Bryony now, wherever you get your podcasts
Page made the claims while appearing on The Life of Bryony podcast to promote her new memoir, ‘Lush! My Story – From Swansea to Stacey and Everything in Between’
She explained that she refuses to report these incidents, fearing it would damage her career and make her ‘incredibly difficult’ to work with on set.
Page argued: ‘I do think actresses have more control now, and you do have a number on call sheets now you can phone if you feel you’re being bullied or something uncomfortable has happened.
‘But I still think this industry is so floaty and all over the place. It’s run by men with money.
‘I have been on jobs at this age, where uncomfortable things are going on – you know, ways you are spoken to.
‘If I call that number on the call sheet – what is actually going to happen? The next day, you turn up and has that person just disappeared?
‘Then everybody knows: you become the person responsible for them going and that’s quite a frightening thing to take on board.
‘Directors have come up to me and said: ‘Look, do you want me to have a word?’
‘I just go no, absolutely not. That will make it really difficult for me work wise. I’ll sort it out myself out now – and that’s recently, like now.’
However, Page said she felt hopeful after working on the Gavin and Stacey finale, where she noticed younger women on set had a different attitude, describing them as confident and unapologetic, feeling they ‘owned their space’.
‘These girls, there wasn’t any sense of apology or thankfulness for being there on set’, she said.
‘There was a real confidence. Just like, I should be here, this is my space, I am owning my space.
‘I just thought, that feels wonderful. It felt like such a change.’
To hear how Page got the job on Gavin and Stacey, listen to the full episode by searching for The Life of Bryony now, wherever you get your podcasts.
