Former ‘ER’ Actress Says George Clooney Helped to ‘Blacklist’ Her

Former ‘ER’ Actress Says George Clooney Helped to ‘Blacklist’ Her
US movie star George Clooney speaks at the Japan premiere of his latest movie 'Tomorrowland' in Tokyo on May 25, 2015. (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)
Jack Phillips
10/13/2017
Updated:
10/15/2017

A former “ER” actress is claiming that George Clooney helped “blacklist” her from Hollywood when she complained of sexual and racial harassment while on set.

Vanessa Marquez, who played a nurse during the first three seasons of “ER,” tweeted that “Clooney helped blacklist me when I spoke up about harassment on ER.”

“Women who don’t play the game lose [their] career,” she added. “I did.”

She didn’t accuse Clooney—who played Doug Ross on the medical drama—of harassment at all, but said another actor did.

She accused actor Eriq La Salle and a crew member of sexual harassment, adding that other cast members Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle, and Julianna Margulies made racist comments about her Mexican heritage. She answered a question from a fan about Margulies: “Racial harassment. Mexican slurs daily. #ER #BLACKLISTED HARASSMENT.”

After she had complained to “ER” executive producer John Wells, she said he had asked her about Clooney.

“Wells was the boss & I 1st reported it to him.His 1st question:Did George do something to u,” she tweeted.

Clooney issued a statement to TheWrap about Marquez’s allegations.

“I had no idea Vanessa was blacklisted,” Clooney told TheWrap on Friday. “I take her at her word. I was not a writer or a producer, or a director on that show. I had nothing to do with casting. I was an actor and only an actor.”

He denied having a negative influence on her career.

“If she was told I was involved in any decision about her career, then she was lied to,” he added. “The fact that I couldn’t affect her career is only surpassed by the fact that I wouldn’t.”

Marquez said, “I’ve been talking about this for 25 years,” adding that there was “no response” until Thursday.

Film producer Harvey Weinstein attends the 2016 amfAR New York Gala at Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan, New York February 10, 2016. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)
Film producer Harvey Weinstein attends the 2016 amfAR New York Gala at Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan, New York February 10, 2016. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)

Marquez made the allegation after Clooney denounced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein for decades of sexual harassment and assault, saying the actions were “indefensible.”

Dozens of actresses and models have come forward in recent days to accuse Weinstein of misconduct.

Weinstein was fired on Sunday by the board of The Weinstein Company after the allegations surfaced.

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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