In December 2007, an adult entertainment website called Backroom Casting Couch launched, creating what would become a highly influential and controversial genre of pornographic content. The premise was simple: young women, presented as aspiring models or actresses, attend interviews with male "agents" or "directors." These interviews gradually escalate from professional conversation to sexual activity, with the implication that the women are willing to do whatever it takes to land the job.
In recent years, there have been numerous reports of casting directors, agents, and other industry professionals using their positions of power to exploit young actors. These allegations have led to a growing sense of unease within the Brooklyn acting community, with many young actors feeling that they are at risk of being taken advantage of. backroom casting couch brooklyn 18 years ol updated
The Backroom Casting Couch series generated particular controversy when it featured multiple Arizona State University students. One case involved Elizabeth Hawkenson, then a freshman at ASU, who was rumored to have lost a $33,000 academic scholarship due to her performance on the site. While Hawkenson later told New Times that she still had her scholarship, the rumor itself speaks to the potential real-world consequences faced by performers. In December 2007, an adult entertainment website called