The casting couch is a term used to describe the practice of soliciting sexual favors from a job applicant in exchange for employment in the entertainment industry, primarily acting roles. The term originally referred to physical couches in the casting office, but is now a metonym for the phenomenon as a whole. Predominantly male casting directors and film producers use the casting couch to extract sex from aspiring actors in Hollywood, Bollywood, Broadway, and other segments of the industry. The casting couch is illegal under United States and California law.

Some key points about the casting couch are:

• Etymology: The term casting couch originally referred to physical couches in the casting office, but is now a metonym for the phenomenon as a whole.

• Legality: The casting couch is illegal under United States and California law.

• Victims: The casting couch is predominantly used by male casting directors and film producers to extract sex from aspiring actors in Hollywood, Bollywood, Broadway, and other segments of the industry.

• History: The casting couch mentality has been around ever since the beginning of the film industry when powerful movie moguls would make sexual advances to young or vulnerable actors or actresses in return for a role in a film, to be ‘made a star’, or to be introduced to other powerful people who might be able to give their career a leg-up.

While the casting couch is illegal, it is still prevalent in the entertainment industry. Many actors and actresses have come forward with their experiences of being sexually harassed or assaulted on the casting couch.