Anna Kendrick Calls Out Director for Publicly Mocking Her on Set

Anna Kendrick isn’t holding back when it comes to an uncomfortable on-set experience. During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Pitch Perfect star opened up about a humiliating moment she endured while working with an unnamed director.

Kendrick was asked about the worst feedback she ever received from a director, and she recounted an incident where a filmmaker publicly mocked her improvisation in front of a large group of extras.

“I remember a director once in a room full of 100 extras or something being like, ‘Hey, on this next one just try something. Just make something up. Just improv something,’” Kendrick recalled. “And I did it, and then the director called cut and came over, and once again in front of 100 extras, was like, ‘Oof, let’s go back to the script!'”

Kendrick described the moment as an intentional “power move” meant to embarrass her. “It really felt like a very specific power move thing to embarrass me, to gain dominance. It was very icky,” she added.

However, in a twist of irony, Kendrick revealed that the improvised moment the director criticized ended up being featured in the film’s trailer. “So f–k you!” she said, to the surprise and amusement of the live podcast audience.

Though Kendrick chose not to name the director, the story sparked gasps from the crowd, further illustrating how shocking the incident was to those hearing it for the first time.

Kendrick also reflected on her experience directing Woman of the Hour, a Netflix film now streaming. She admitted that stepping behind the camera brought its own challenges, especially with the added expectation that she address the experience of being a female director.

“It’s a lot easier for me to talk in extreme detail about certain moments in certain scenes, or about movies that were inspirations, than it is to answer the questions that come up the most frequently — ‘Why this project? Why did you want to direct?'” Kendrick told Variety.

Kendrick acknowledged the pressure to speak on behalf of female directors, despite being new to the role. “I think there is a bit of an expectation that I speak quite eloquently about the unique experience of being a female director. And then you’re going, ‘I’ve done this one time. I probably shouldn’t be, like, representative of those kinds of big questions.'”

What do you think of Anna Kendrick’s story? Should directors be held accountable for on-set behavior, especially when it crosses a line? Share your thoughts in the comments below!