the casting couch

the casting couch

A phenomenon in which prospective employees (typically females) are propositioned for sexual favors in exchange for promised employment or career advancement. The practice is most associated with the entertainment industry, and the term refers to the actual piece of furniture in a casting director's office where such encounters may occur. According to many accounts, the casting couch is alive and well in Hollywood.
See also: casting, couch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the ˈcasting couch

(informal, humorous) used to refer to a situation in which somebody, especially a woman, agrees to have sex with somebody else in order to get work in a film/movie, TV programme, etc: the Hollywood casting couch for starlets
See also: casting, couch
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

casting couch

n. a legendary couch found in the offices of casting directors for use in seducing young people by offering them roles. They say the director got his job on the casting couch, too.
See also: casting, couch
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • casting couch
  • open doors
  • open some doors
  • open a few doors
  • open a few doors for (one)
  • you're in there
  • in there
  • mommy track
  • the greasy pole
  • slip into something more comfortable
References in periodicals archive
They include the Casting Couch - a term that has been used to describe the sexual exploitation of young actors and actresses in the film industry.
It was surprisingly emotional" Actress Jodie Whittaker, the first female to play the title role on Doctor Who "In Hollywood we were all aware of the casting couch. It was almost a joke.
"The casting couch for many producers basically means they can do what they want with a girl and no questions are ever asked," she said.
It has also, many a time, been reported that the presence of harassment often known as the casting couch system has forced many new models to take the extreme step.
Aditi Rao Hydari in an interview to The Sunday Guardian revealed that she has been in the casting couch situation but choose to stand up to it.
Do you believe in the casting couch? Is it prevalent in Pakistan?
These magazines often write articles on the issues like human trafficking [almost close to the casting couch this is indeed a sad story in the region].
Listen, the casting couch has been the system since Hollywood existed.
The the casting couch finally brought to judgement.
The apocalyptic symptom of the whole thing - the casting couch finally brought to judgment.
24 (ANI): Responding to Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan's remark on the casting couch, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhary on Tuesday said that even Parliament is not immune to it.
Rage is addictive and it tastes good Ruby Wax, who has suffered from depression If you don't know whether to take your pants off, don't suddenly scream later, "I really didn't want to do it" Joanna Lumley's advice to women on the casting couch I always wanted to be an explorer, but it seemed I was doomed to be nothing more than a very silly person TV's Michael Palin
The Curse of the Casting Couch in show biz has silently held sway for so long that some people doubt if it can ever be de-fanged.
When asked if the 'culture of silence' has existed in the Indian film industry as it did in the West where the casting couch and sleazy predators are an open secret she said:"I'm a living example of the fact that not everyone is a predator.
"The people who suffer from the casting couch are the really pretty ones.