Fired By Netflix, Frank Langella Refutes Allegations Of “Unacceptable Behavior”
05.05.2022 - 23:51
/ deadline.com
Editor’s Note: On April 13, Deadline broke the story that Frank Langella had been fired as the lead of the Netflix limited series The Fall of the House of Usher after an investigation into an alleged unacceptable conduct on set, including sexual harassment toward the actress playing his wife. At the time, we reached out to the Oscar-nominated actor for comment. Here is his reaction to the dismissal, written as a guest column.
I have been canceled. Just like that.
In the increasing madness that currently pervades our industry, I could not have imagined that the words collateral damage would fall upon my shoulders. They have brought with them a weight I had not expected to bear in the closing decades of my career. And along with it has come an unanticipated sense of grave danger.
On April 14 of this year, I was fired by Netflix for what they determined to be unacceptable behavior on set. My first instinct was to blame. To lash out and seek vengeance. I interviewed crisis managers, tough connected lawyers, the professionally sympathetic at $800 per hour. Free advice was proffered as well:
“Don’t play the victim.” “Don’t sue. They’ll dig into your past.” “Sign the NDA, take the money and run.” “Do the talk shows. Show contrition; feign humility. Say you’ve learned a lot.”
Apologize. Apologize. Apologize.
I was playing the leading role of Roderick Usher in Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher, modernized as an eight-episode series for Netflix. It is a glorious role and I had come to regard it as, most likely, my last hurrah. Bizarrely prophetic under the current circumstances.
On March 25 of this year, I was performing a love scene with the actress playing my young wife. Both of us were fully clothed. I was