The director Sean Young labelled “a bastard”
Throughout the 1980s, Sean Young announced herself as one of the key players of Hollywood. After giving early performances in 1981’s Jane Austen in Manhattan, Young delivered her breakthrough effort as the replicant Rachael in Ridley Scott’s legendary science fiction film Blade Runner.
Young continued to contribute to sci-fi as the 1980s wore on with an effort as Chani in David Lynch’s admittedly disastrous version of Dune. Before long, the Kentucky-born actor found herself being called upon by some of the biggest directors in the film industry, so far reaching was her impact.
Towards the end of the decade, Young performed in Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama Wall Street, though considering how the production of the film went down, she might have wished that she hadn’t. Starring Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah, and Martin Sheen, Wall Street tells the story of a young stockbroker who becomes embroiled in the undertakings of an affluent corporate raider.
Oliver Stone, who is known for his disregard for women in his films, was labelled “a bastard” by Young when she spoke in an interview with The Daily Beast. According to the actor, Michael Douglas was a “wonderful” person to work with, but both Stone and Charlie Sheen, who “was on a lot of coke” during the filming of Wall Street, were both “awful”.
In fact, it was Sheen who had stuck a piece of tape with the word “cunt” written on Young’s back. When Douglas saw the tape on his co-star, he immediately tore it off, and when Young asked what it was, he just told her, “Forget it.” When Young found out what Sheen had done, she told him the following day, “Your dad was a pro. Writing ‘cunt’ on a piece of tape and sticking it to my back? Not pro. It’s just stupid. What are you doing?”
Not only had Young stuck up for herself, but she’s also stood up for the rights of co-star Daryl Hannah, who had felt “uncomfortable” with a dress that Stone had made her wear. After being called Stone out on his costume choice, the director evidently felt undermined by Young and reduced her role to practically nothing.
When Young followed up by asking what the point of her being in a certain scene was, Stone told her, “You’re right. You’re fired.” If that weren’t bad enough, then Stone’s subsequent treatment of his actor certainly was. Young explained, “I went to the trailer, got my stuff, and then they told me to get in this car. And this driver, who I thought was going to take me back to Manhattan, drops me off at the bus station. I just thought, ‘OK. If this is how you get your rocks off.’”
In an interview with David Breskin, Stone admitted to not representing women in the best light in Wall Street. “I think that was a failure in the writing,” he said before explaining in far too much detail how much he “adores” women, who are supposedly there to “dispense grace”.
Sean Young had also called out the likes of Ridley Scott and Warren Beatty, who all gave her issues to contend with as a result of their toxic masculinity. But it seemed to be Stone that was the director deserving of being called a “bastard” by the actor because of his general mistreatment of her.
