Frank Langella Denies Allegations of 'Unacceptable Behavior' After Netflix Firing

In a guest column published Thursday afternoon by Deadline, actor Frank Langella denied that he exhibited "unacceptable behavior" while on the set of the upcoming Netflix limited series The Fall of the House of Usher. Langella was fired from the Mike Flanagan series in April amid an investigation into his alleged misconduct, which reportedly included sexual harassment of a female co-star. In the column, the actor denies any wrongdoing and cites cancel culture as the reason for his firing.

In his piece, Langella confirmed that an actress walked off set while filming a love scene and told the production crew that he had touched her leg, an act that was "not in the blocking." Langella admitted that he did not listen to direction from an intimacy coordinator regarding where to touch his scene partner, calling the suggestion "absurd" and asserting that his intention was not unjust.

"It was a love scene on camera. Legislating the placement of hands, to my mind, is ludicrous," Langella wrote. "It undermines instinct and spontaneity."

The actor went on to list additional complaints made against him, including telling an "off-color" joke, calling castmates "baby or honey," and giving co-workers a "hug or touch" on the shoulder. Langella did not deny the actions. Instead, he disagreed with Netflix's assertion that they are "unacceptable," chalking them up to his attempt to create an atmosphere that was "light and friendly."

"I cannot speak to the intentions of my accuser or Netflix, but the impact on me has been incalculable. I lost a thrilling part, the chance at future earnings, and perhaps face a stretch of unemployment," he said. "Most importantly, my reputation has been tarnished. These indignities are, to my mind, the real definition of unacceptable behavior."

"This is not fair," Langella concluded. "This is not just. This is not American."

Kirstie Renae is a writer, blogger, and Austin-based actress with a penchant for binge-watching TV with her dogs. Follow her on Twitter @KirstieRenae.