Non-binary model Jamie Windust has accused the crew of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald for being homophobic.
The British writer landed a role as an extra on the blockbuster, and revealed on Twitter that it was “one of the worst jobs” they’ve ever done, claiming there was “misogyny, homophobia and transphobia” on set.
They continued: “Not only were the staff literally all white, but it was a diverse cast of extras that were definitely not all cis, but despite this, for the whole duration of the filming process we were cast and sectioned into ‘male and female’ groups.”
Jamie overheard “disgusting” comments about women and anti-LGBTQ slurs towards other visibly queer people during their time filming, and quit because of this.
“Sometimes championed and goaded by members of staff eg) oggling women, discussing having sex with other cast members, but also the homophobia towards other extras all went unchallenged and allowed to happen.”
I worked as an extra on this film and it was one of the worst jobs I have ever done. Literally ever. Misogyny, homophobia, transphobia everywhere plus 16 hour days in minus temperatures. Atrocious. https://t.co/KOal3hpOMp
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
Not only were the staff literally all white, but it was a diverse cast of extras that were definitely not all cis, but despite this, for the whole duration of the filming process we were cast and sectioned into 'male and female' groups
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
I understand these events are long days and long hours, but to work from 4am – 6pm for weeks solid was inevitably going to be stressful, and with the lack of acknowledgement for my gender identity to also be a factor here, i obviously wasn't excited to work
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
This isn't necessarily the organisers fault, but the other extras were incredibly misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic to the members of the cast who were visibly diverse, and due to the fact i was segregated into the 'male' group, I heard a lot of this vile rhetoric
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
sometimes championed and goaded by members of staff eg) oggling women, discussing having sex with other cast members, but also the homophobia towards other extras all went unchallenged and allowed to happen
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
at the time i was working with an incredibly unprofessional agency, who i have now realised were wrong to work with as they asked me from day one if i would 'choose a gender' to be affiliated with, in their books, so i didn't have to go into their 'special' section
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
we would spend days on end sat in a tent with no phone, no entertainment and 100s of people just crammed in a large catering tent to be told we weren't needed, and would be sat from 5am – 6pm doing nothing
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
however a good thing was that i now left that agency and am with an agency who set up their own bloody non-binary board becAuse of my beauty 🙂 @CrumbAgency_
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 19, 2018
This was my experience. Not necessarily the experience of ALL extras. As a non binary person this was the way I felt on set. This is what I witnessed and how I was treated.
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 20, 2018
I didn’t think it would gain this much traction, and the reaction has been wild. I want to use this opportunity not to call out people, but to now for the future ensure we try and create safe working environments for trans/NB people where sometimes they’re forgotten
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) November 20, 2018
In a conversation with Out Magazine, Jamie explained that the language used on set was “alarming” and said the crew requested extras who were “supernatural, weird looking and androgynous”.
“I think because I was so new to the industry, and because I had just started, I didn’t want to look like I was ungrateful,” they added.
Jamie tweeted about their experience because they want to “spark” conversations about trans and non-binary people in the workplace.
“I’m calling out this for the lack of trans and non binary support and acknowledgement, not the conditions we worked in,” they clarified. “I knew that was going to happen. I want more trans NB people behind the camera.”
Since filming Fantastic Beasts, Jamie has left the agency that cast them in the role, and has now signed with Crumb Agency in London, who specifically cater to non-binary performers.
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