casting couch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2informal, sensitive, journalistic, often used in critiques of industry power structures
Quick answer
What does “casting couch” mean?
The exploitation of aspiring actors, typically young women, by film producers or directors who demand sexual favors in exchange for promising film roles.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The exploitation of aspiring actors, typically young women, by film producers or directors who demand sexual favors in exchange for promising film roles.
Any situation, especially within the entertainment or modeling industries, where advancement or opportunity is implicitly or explicitly contingent on granting sexual favors to those in power. It can also be used metaphorically in other professional contexts to describe a corrupt quid-pro-quo of sex for career advancement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used identically in both varieties. The concept is associated primarily with Hollywood (US) but is understood globally in the context of film industries.
Connotations
Universally negative and associated with scandal, predation, and the #MeToo movement.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to the centrality of Hollywood in global film discourse, but common in UK media discussing both UK and US film industries.
Grammar
How to Use “casting couch” in a Sentence
[The/An] + casting couch + [verb e.g., existed, persists, operated][Accuse/Expose/End] + the casting couch[Be] + a victim of + the casting couchVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “casting couch” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – primarily a noun phrase. One might 'be subjected to the casting couch'.
American English
- N/A – primarily a noun phrase. One might 'face the casting couch'.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The casting-couch culture of the 1970s has been widely documented.
- It was a classic casting-couch scenario.
American English
- She spoke out against the casting-couch mentality in the industry.
- He was accused of casting-couch behavior.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in discussions of corporate sexual harassment with similar power dynamics.
Academic
Used in film studies, gender studies, sociology, and ethics papers analyzing power abuse in creative industries.
Everyday
Understood in general discourse, especially when discussing film industry scandals or workplace harassment.
Technical
Not a technical term; used descriptively in legal, HR, or journalistic contexts concerning misconduct.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “casting couch”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “casting couch”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “casting couch”
- Using it to describe any romantic relationship in the workplace (it requires a clear transaction of sex for career opportunity).
- Misspelling as 'casting coach'.
- Using it in a neutral or positive context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While historically associated with the exploitation of women by powerful men, the term can apply to any gender dynamic where sexual favors are demanded for professional opportunity.
Yes, metaphorically. It is sometimes used to describe similar abusive quid-pro-quo situations in other industries like music, fashion, or corporate settings, though 'film industry' is its primary domain.
It is an established informal term. It is widely understood and used in serious journalism and academic writing, but due to its sensitive nature, it is not casual everyday slang.
'Casting couch' is a specific, culturally embedded metaphor for a *type* of sexual harassment or quid-pro-quo exploitation that occurs within the context of auditioning or role allocation, primarily in entertainment.
The exploitation of aspiring actors, typically young women, by film producers or directors who demand sexual favors in exchange for promising film roles.
Casting couch: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːstɪŋ kaʊtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkæstɪŋ kaʊtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The old Hollywood casting couch is finally being dismantled.”
- “She refused to play the casting couch game.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a couch in a casting director's office. Instead of a fair audition, the 'price' for the role is sitting on that couch for a different, awful reason. The *couch* is where the corrupt *casting* happens.
Conceptual Metaphor
POWER IS A SEXUAL COMMODITY / CAREER ADVANCEMENT IS A TRANSACTION.
Practice
Quiz
What does the term 'casting couch' specifically imply?