Actors Access, a top casting site, hit by a class action lawsuit

Actors Access, the leading online film and TV casting platform, was hit with a class action lawsuit on Wednesday, alleging it illegally charges artists for access to auditions.

The lawsuit, filed in LA Superior Courtaccuses the platform of predatory behavior and of charging working actors hundreds of dollars a year for upgrades they hope will get noticed.

“By exploiting actors’ desire to realize their dreams, Defendant has placed himself between actors and casting directors, forcing hard-working actors to pay for the opportunity to apply for jobs,” the lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs’ attorney, Ryan Clarkson, filed a similar lawsuit last week against Casting Networks, a major site in the world of commercial casting. Both lawsuits accuse the platforms of operating “pay-to-play” schemes in violation of California labor law.

In a statement, Clarkson said he received an “outpouring of support” after filing the Casting Networks lawsuit, which prompted him to also go after Actors Access.

“Actors Access, a huge Hollywood institution that is even older than the Internet, is guilty of this
cheating – defrauding actors and taking advantage of their career dreams,” he said. “It’s time they
are held accountable.”

Both sites have both a free tier and a paid plan, which offers more features. With Actors Access, the paid tier costs $10 per month or $68 per year. The site charges $2 per submission to those who don’t pay for a subscription, while paying subscribers get “unlimited” submissions.

The lawsuit alleges that the “unlimited” submission claim is misleading, however, because actors with paid subscriptions must pay additional fees to upload media tailored to each job.

According to the lawsuit, actors who upload more media to their profiles score higher in the sorting algorithm used to display candidates to casting directors.

“So even for the actors who can pay their way onto the platform, it becomes an important casting factor did they pay enough?” the suit reads. “The resulting financial pressures and emotional distress of navigating this pay-to-play system have reduced the fair opportunity for talent discovery, prioritizing those who can afford it over equally or more talented individuals who face financial constraints.”

SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, tried to address this issue last year during negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The contract prohibits studios from using sites that give preferential treatment to actors with paid subscriptions.

Actors Access is operated by Breakdown Services, which claims that more than 97% of scripted productions in North America use its casting services. Casting sites have become increasingly important as much of casting has turned to “self-taping,” a trend accelerated by the pandemic.

Instead of meeting in person at a casting agency, actors will film their own audition tape and upload it to the site.