Three more casting directors accept a plea deal following the “pay-to-play auditions crackdown”
Casting professional Ty Harman, who is known for casting Santa Clarita Diet, and The Real O’Neals, casting associates, Eddie Jaszek, from Castle, and Kate Reed from Shooter, had a plea arrangement with the L.A. prosecutor’s office.
Eight casting companies have accepted plea deals since February, after allegedly violating the Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act by requiring actors to pay illegal fees in exchange for auditions. Meanwhile, several other remaining defenders are scheduled for January court hearings, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Following an investigative report by THR about how casting professionals required aspiring actors to pay for “acting courses” in exchange for the ability to audition for a role.
THR reports some of the major acting schools profited from these auditions.
Harman agreed to 90 hours of community service, while Reed and Jaszek will respectively do 50 and 25 of service. It is important to note, convictions can result up to a year in jail.
Last February, Feuer voiced his support of aspiring actors trying to make it in Los Angeles saying, “aspiring performers who pursue their dreams should be treated with respect and never be exploited for profit.”
Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA’s general counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland also spoke out in support of aspiring actors and cracking down on pay-to-play auditions.
“These people’s dreams were taken advantage of. These are not people of means. These are people barely getting by. So just to be considered for a job, it’s a real abuse.”
