Lili Reinhart recently opened up about a toxic encounter she had with a male director on the set of the recently released comedy horror film, "Forbidden Fruits." The film, directed by Meredith Alloway and written by Lily Houghton based on her stage play "Of the Woman Came the Beginning of Sin, and Through Her We All Die," features an ensemble cast including Reinhart, Gabrielle Union, Lola Tung, Emma Chamberlain, Alexandra Shipp, and Victoria Pedretti.
The story revolves around Apple, Fig (played by Shipp), and Cherry (played by Pedretti) who include Pumpkin (played by Tung) to complete their coven. However, things take an unfortunate turn when they discover a snake in their garden.
While speaking with Cosmopolitan alongside her co-stars Shipp, Tung, and Pedretti, the 29-year-old American actress shared a personal "acting note" that she had received from a male director. She recalled, "Oh, yeah, when I had a male director come up to me and silently lean over and say, ‘Just suck in your stomach a little bit.’" Despite being encouraged by her co-stars to disclose the director's name, Reinhart chose to keep it under wraps. "Tell you later," she told them.
This revelation comes after Reinhart's appearance on Deadline’s SXSW Studio in March, where she spoke candidly about feeling empowered working on a female-centric set. She shared, "It was ultimate collaboration, which is so nice because sometimes that’s really not the case. It’s like, ‘This is what you’re wearing.’ For Apple, it’s a lot of black and tight, but it’s not for the male gaze. It’s for herself. And I think you can see the difference…it’s not to say ‘look at me,’ it’s to say ‘stay the f*ck away from me’ in a way, which I think is great."
Reinhart's words serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of creating a safe and inclusive work environment for all actors, regardless of gender.
