casting couch

[ kas-ting kouch, kah-sting ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a couch in the office of a casting director, supposedly used with actors or actresses who are promised roles in exchange for sexual favors.
2. the supposed practice of casting actors or actresses in exchange for sexual favors:

   young women who have suffered the casting couch.

casting couch

noun

1. informal.
   a couch on which a casting director is said to seduce women seeking a part in a film or play

Word History and Origins

Origin of casting couch¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

There was no casting couch, but framed posters for some of Weinstein’s more recent films under the Weinstein Company banner sat on the abandoned office’s floors—one of which Kavovit says she smashed with a hammer herself.

From Fortune

What Egan and his attorney described in the lawsuit is far beyond any classic casting couch situation.

From The Daily Beast

Daily Beast has a slideshow up of famous people recounting their casting couch horror stories.

From The Daily Beast

And have you successfully avoided all the creepy “casting couch” producers?

From The Daily Beast