Los Angeles pulses with energy every year as award-season events roll out their red carpets: galas, after-parties, press junkets, dinners, and receptions. These moments are meant to shine a light on art, accomplishment, and celebrity—but increasingly, they also shed light on misconduct. At Holtz Matthews LLP, we believe part of dismantling harassment in our industry is recognizing how award-season settings create opportunities for abuse, and what individuals can do when boundaries are crossed.
Why Award Season Brings Risks
Award season means more public visibility, more mixing of formalities and informality, more scenarios where power, ambition, and access collide. A talent may be invited to a high-profile event where they don't know many people or the norms of behavior. There are informal conversations, potential for one-on-one access to influential figures, less oversight, and sometimes alcohol or after-hours venues are involved. All of this increases the risk of harassment.
Because award ceremonies are high stakes—credibility, visibility, future roles—many people feel they can't push back. Saying no to an invitation from a producer, refusing to go somewhere private after an event, or objecting to unwanted touch can feel like risking one's career. Sometimes the behavior doesn't start out explicitly abusive—it may be a misread cue—but can escalate or persist.
What Laws and Protections Apply
California's laws, especially in Los Angeles, provide several layers of protection. Harassment—whether sexual, verbal, or physical—can violate state civil rights laws, employment law, and sometimes criminal statutes. Even outside formal employment relationships, there can be liability under theories like sexual harassment in professional relationships, assault, or intentional infliction of emotional distress.
At Holtz Matthews LLP, our work includes representing clients in high-profile sexual assault and harassment matters in the entertainment industry, so we know how both public and private interactions are viewed under the law. Founding partners Michael Holtz and Jordan Matthews have built a reputation for taking on cases where people in positions of power used their status to silence or exploit others.
Protections also include anti-retaliation statutes. If someone speaks up about misconduct—publicly or privately—they are protected under California law from losing professional opportunities, contract offers, or invitations simply for asserting their rights. Further, contracts and industry standards (guilds, unions) increasingly require disclosures around behavior, mandate reporting mechanisms, and forbid non-disclosure agreements from suppressing allegations in certain contexts.
How to Know When Harassment Has Occurred
Harassment at an award event may involve persistent flirtatious remarks, unwanted physical advances, pressure to be alone with someone you're uncomfortable with, or demeaning comments about appearance or background. It may be a single event or a pattern.
Proper signals include: feeling compelled to comply because you believe refusal will hurt your reputation; feeling unsafe; realizing someone misused their position to demand or expect behavior; or realizing that promises or career opportunities were made contingent on certain behavior.
What You Should Do If It Happens
First, prioritize your safety. If a setting feels unsafe, leave as soon as possible. Getting out of any situation should always be possible without suffering lasting harm.
Second, document everything. Names, dates, times, what was said, what was done, who else was there, what access you had; record message threads or communications. Photographs or recordings (where lawful) may be helpful.
Third, report as appropriate. That could mean speaking to security or management at the event, reporting to union or guild representatives, or going to professionals who handle misconduct in your industry. Sometimes public exposure matters, sometimes discreet but formal reporting is what's needed.
Fourth, obtain legal advice. Harassment at high-profile events often intersects with contracts, non-disclosure agreements, assignments, artists' managers, and agents. A lawyer with experience in entertainment, harassment, and employment law can assess whether you have civil claims (harassment, discrimination, assault), whether there are criminal or regulatory issues, whether non-disclosure agreements or confidentiality clauses limit your options, and what your deadlines for legal action are.
Why Firms Like Holtz Matthews LLP Exist
Holtz Matthews LLP was founded to give voice to those harmed by sexual misconduct, harassment, and abuse—especially in industries like entertainment where power is often unequal. The firm has already taken on landmark cases against powerful figures and firms, fighting for accountability and damages for clients who've been silenced or marginalized.
We know how daunting it can be to speak up during the glitter and pressure of award season. But knowing you are not alone—and knowing there are real legal tools available—can change how these events look and how people are treated.
If you've experienced harassment at an awards event, press junket, or related function—or if you just want to know how to protect yourself going forward—reach out for a confidential conversation. At Holtz Matthews LLP, we're committed to helping individuals understand their rights, navigate complex contracts or agreements, and pursue justice when promises are broken or boundaries are violated. Your story matters—and your safety does too.