Ray Winstone Recalls Confronting Director Who Groped Female Co-Star

British actor Ray Winstone revealed he intervened when an unnamed director inappropriately touched his female co-star during a scene. Winstone recalled confronting the director on set, describing the incident as an abuse of power that was promptly handled.

Winstone, 69, explained that the incident occurred while filming a scene that required him to pick up a young actress, only to see the director begin inappropriately touching her under the guise of demonstrating how the blocking should work, as reported by The Independent.

Confronting the Director on Set

The actor noted that the woman appeared somewhat lost on set before the director stepped in and took advantage of the situation.

“I had this director once – I was in a scene where I had to pick up this girl, and the director wanted to show me what to do. But he was groping her. That was it. I said, ‘Don’t you dare do that.’ He abused his power, took advantage, and she was a good kid, you know, who seemed a little lost. Anyway, it was dealt with.”

Ray Winstone, actor

While the actor did not name the director involved in the incident, he contrasted past industry norms with modern standards. He remarked that historical working environments often relied on crew members stepping in to police unacceptable behavior themselves, though he acknowledged that the entertainment industry has shifted significantly since then.

Reflecting on Industry Shifts and Past Co-Stars

Winstone reflected on how behind-the-scenes culture has evolved over the decades, suggesting that earlier generations of film crews handled misconduct directly. He stated that in past decades, crew members such as riggers or sparks would routinely pull offenders aside to enforce basic standards of behavior, noting that he had occasionally intervened himself to tell misbehaving individuals in no uncertain terms, to behave or handle the matter away from the cameras. At the same time, he emphasized that those informal methods belong to a different era, observing that it’s a different world today.

Beyond his recent disclosures regarding set conduct, Winstone discussed his broader career experiences, including his time working alongside Hollywood star Jack Nicholson on Martin Scorsese’s 2006 thriller The Departed. Reflecting on comments he made during a 2014 public appearance where he labeled Nicholson arrogant, Winstone clarified his stance on professional ego. He maintained that he dislikes an attitude of superiority among performers, stating that everyone ultimately shares the same fate, but added that he would welcome the chance to collaborate with the actor again because he’s a fantastic actor!

Upcoming Television Roles and Career Outlook

The disclosures arrive as Winstone prepares for high-profile television appearances. He currently stars as west London kingpin Bobby Glass in the Netflix crime series The Gentlemen, a spin-off derived from Guy Ritchie’s 2020 film of the same name. Speaking about his character in the series, the actor admitted that taking on older, established roles rather than the young lead has made him conscious of aging within the industry.

Netflix has already renewed The Gentlemen for a third season, ensuring that Winstone’s character will remain central to the ongoing criminal enterprise depicted in the show. Season 2 of the series is scheduled for release on Netflix on 3 September. When asked about his long-term career plans and whether he intends to slow down his acting workload, Winstone offered a pragmatic reason for keeping busy, quipping that you’ve got to pay the taxman, haven’t you?