Frank Langella Announces “I Have Been Canceled” After Netflix Fired Him From “Fall Of The House Of Usher”

Frank Langella is one sad puppy. Frank has pronounced himself “canceled. Just like that” in a guest column written for Deadline, declaring himself a victim of “the increasing madness that currently pervades our industry.” That “madness” led to Frank being fired by Netflix from his leading role in the limited series Fall of the House of Usher after he was accused by one of his co-stars of touching her inappropriately during a love scene. All of which Frank breezily owns up to, in addition to having told an “off-color” joke, calling people “baby” and “honey” and hugging and touching without permission. And boy is he pissed!

You see, Frank is what Bill Murray calls “a really sad puppy that can’t learn anymore.” After getting suspended from Being Mortal under similar circumstances, Bill came to the realization that “the world is different than it was when I was a little kid,” and said he was trying to learn from what happened. The only thing Frank’s going to learn with this diatribe is how much worse he just made things for himself. via Deadline:

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.

You in danger, girl, and can still afford $800 an hour on professional services just to ignore every word they say and to go ahead and lash out, seek vengeance and blame anyway? Sad puppy, indeed. 84-year-old Frank goes on to say how important the “glorious role” of Roderick Usher was for him to play, and that he considered it might be his “last hurrah.” Frank then dug his heels in six feet deep, the perfect depth for a grave that reads “Here Lies the Career of Frank Langella 1963-2022. Canceled Too Soon.” Frank got into the nitty-gritty of the incident in which, according to him,  he was being 100% professional and correct, and his female co-star and the intimacy coordinator they’d worked with were being “absurd!”

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 sitting on a couch, she was standing in front of me. The director called “cut.” “He touched my leg,” said the actress. “That was not in the blocking.” She then turned and walked off the set, followed by the director and the intimacy coordinator. I attempted to follow but was asked to “give her some space.” I waited for approximately one hour, and was then told she was not returning to set and we were wrapped.

Not long after, an investigation began. Approximately one week later, Human Resources asked to speak to me by phone. “Before the love scene began on March 25,” said the questioner, “our intimacy coordinator suggested where you both should put your hands. It has been brought to our attention that you said, ‘This is absurd!’” “Yes,” I said, “I did. And I still think so.” It was a love scene on camera. Legislating the placement of hands, to my mind, is ludicrous. It undermines instinct and spontaneity.

Um, if it undermines instinct and spontaneity then why didn’t his scene partner up and slap him upside his head instead of leaving the situation and going through the proper channels to ensure the comfort and safety of the entire crew? Apparently, HR told Frank that this was not the only complaint made against him. Those complaints, in Frank’s eyes, were equally absurd!

When you are the leading actor, it requires, in my opinion, that you set an example by keeping the atmosphere light and friendly. Nevertheless, these were some of the allegations: 1. “He told an off-color joke. 2. “Sometimes he called me ‘baby’ or ‘honey.’” 3. “He’d give me a hug or touch my shoulder.”

“You cannot do that, Frank,” said our producer. “You can’t joke. You can’t compliment. You can’t touch. It’s a new order.”

Frank seems confused by this and thinks these are blanket rules. I’m sure there are plenty of actors who manage to joke, compliment, and touch their colleagues without incident. That producer was very specific when they said “YOU,” and “Frank.” Frank then complains that he was abruptly fired, not given a hearing by Netflix, that his request to meet with the actress was denied, that the directors and producers stopped responding to his calls and emails, and says that within 30 minutes of his firing, Netflix had sent letters to the cast and crew and released a press release with the news, adding “my representatives and I were given no opportunity to comment or collaborate on the narrative.” Oh, so he wanted a screenwriting credit too? Maybe in his next career. Frank ended with:

These indignities are, to my mind, the real definition of unacceptable behavior.

Cancel culture is the antithesis of democracy. It inhibits conversation and debate. It limits our ability to listen, mediate, and exchange opposing views. Most tragically, it annihilates moral judgment.

This is not fair. This is not just. This is not American.

Frank Langella

Frank’s rant is worthy of a collaboration with Kevin Spacey, like a House of Cards reboot filmed on-the-cheap in Italy, and co-starring Faye Dunaway.

Pic: Elizabeth Pantaleo/startraksphoto.com