Grace Van Dien, a 26-year-old actor known for her role in the popular Netflix series “Stranger Things,” has decided to pivot her career towards streaming due to negative experiences with superiors on set. In a recent Twitch stream, Van Dien revealed that she has declined four movie projects in the past two and a half weeks because of past negative experiences with producers. One producer in particular hired a girl he was sleeping with and then had her ask Van Dien to have a threesome with them, which she declined and found upsetting.
Van Dien prefers streaming because she gets to choose who she interacts with, which is better for her mental health. She currently streams herself playing games on her Twitch account, which has over 300,000 followers. Although she plans to be selective with future projects, she has not quit the acting and television world entirely, as she tweeted that her work priorities are changing and she is waiting for the right project.
Van Dien has opened up about a disturbing experience she had while working on a recent film project. According to her, a producer had hired a woman he was having an affair with, and then asked Van Dien to have a threesome with them. This request left her feeling upset and she reportedly sobbed after the incident. This disturbing encounter sheds light on the pervasive issue of sexual harassment and abuse in the film industry, and highlights the importance of actors like Van Dien speaking out about their experiences in order to effect positive change.
Van Dien also shared that she is developing her own projects and hopes to be in control of her own set, where she will not ask her actors to sleep with her. She promoted her directorial debut, a 2020 short film called “Monsters and Muses,” which she starred in. Overall, Van Dien’s decision to pivot to streaming is a response to the negative experiences she faced in the film industry, and she is now taking control of her own career and projects
In a 2022 interview with Collider, Van Dien discussed her approach to acting and how she selects roles. She stated that her goals have remained the same over time, but they feel more attainable now. Van Dien shared that she loves telling stories that people can relate to and that she can personally connect with. She expressed gratitude for being able to continue pursuing this passion.
It seems that Van Dien’s negative experiences with producers have not deterred her from her love of acting and storytelling. Despite her preference for streaming and desire to have more control over her own projects, she remains committed to pursuing meaningful roles and sharing stories that resonate with audiences.
