Courtney Love Says She Left Acting Because She Was Constantly Being Harassed
Usually, when you hear that a popular musician is about to make the leap into acting, there’s a pretty good chance your first response is: “Uh, you sure about that?” Because not every singer can live that Cher-in-Moonstruck experience. But Courtney Love did it, and guess what? She was actually very successful at it! Courtney appeared in a few smaller films in the 80s, but starting in 1996, she showed up in several critically-acclaimed films, which kicked off her career as a real movie star. She was even nominated for a Golden Globe, and many considered it a snub when she wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award after that. It really did look like Courtney Love had officially established herself as a singer-slash-actress, but then a couple of years later, she started showing up in fewer and fewer films. Now we’re learning that her retirement wasn’t pushed on her by Hollywood, because she reached the totally unemployable old age of 35, but because she was sick and tired of constantly getting #MeToo‘ed.
Courtney recently took a walk down Hollywood memory lane on Instagram, posting a few pictures of herself on the red carpet of the 54th annual Golden Globe Awards. A then-32-year-old Courtney had been nominated for her first and only Golden Globe award, for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama, for her role in The People vs. Larry Flint. That movie was directed by Miloš Forman, who cast her again three years later in his Andy Kaufman biopic, Man on the Moon, opposite Jim Carrey. Courtney credits Miloš for turning her into a “movie star,” and describes the trust she had with him as “profound.” She says that she loved acting, but that it just wasn’t something she wanted to do anymore after a “bunch of #MeToos” that no one would take seriously. So basically, Courtney’s voice was worn out from essentially screaming into a void, and she quit acting.
Courtney also mentions that her navy Valentino Golden Globes dress was loaned to her by her accidental fairy godmother, Sharon Stone. Courtney also claims that Sharon encouraged her to be proud of her acting, and not to act too cool about it. Sharon was up against Courtney Love for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama that same year, for Casino (Sharon ended up winning). Sharon Stone herself has confessed previously that she’s no stranger to sexual harassment in the industry.
And naturally, this situation only gets exponentially worse when you remind yourself that this isn’t the first time Courtney Love was brushed off after talking about predators in the industry:
Courtney Love sobre Harvey Weinstein (2005)pic.twitter.com/mvC10Pzgfe
— Alba Muñoz (@albanatz) January 13, 2020
Unfortunately, Courtney can’t get a career do-over with Miloš Forman, because he passed away in 2018. I suppose if there’s any justice, maybe Courtney will get a call when Hollywood inevitably makes a #MeToo miniseries. And a good role, too. I don’t want to see her dumped into a 2-minute cameo as Ronan Farrow’s hairstylist.
Pic: Universal Pictures