Movies Ellen Barkin says director ripped off her merkin during nude scene: 'Nobody's looking at you' The veteran actress alleges that Sea of Love director Harold Becker forcibly removed her pubic wig during the filming of a "very difficult" scene. By Jessica Wang Jessica Wang Jessica is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where she covers TV, movies, and pop culture. Her work has appeared in Bustle, NYLON, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, and more. She lives in California with her dog. EW's editorial guidelines Published on February 21, 2023 08:21PM EST Ellen Barkin. Photo: Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images Ellen Barkin is no stranger to toxic behavior in Hollywood — and now she's "fresh out" of f---s to give. In a candid interview with HuffPost published Tuesday, the veteran actress opened up about enduring widespread misogyny in the industry, including an alleged incident on the set of the 1989 thriller Sea of Love in which the male director forcibly removed her merkin (a pubic wig used to shield one's private parts) during the filming of a "very difficult" nude scene. Barkin, who was then in her early 30s, said she felt too powerless to react at the time. "You do nothing," she said. "What was I going to do when Harold Becker on Sea of Love walks over and literally rips my merkin off, taking some pubic hair with him and saying: 'What do you need this for? Nobody's looking at you.'" Ellen Barkin in 'Sea of Love'. Everett Collection Barkin added that the alleged incident "terrified" her scene partner. She did not name her scene partner, but the film stars Al Pacino as a troubled detective investigating a serial killer who leaves the song "Sea of Love" playing at crime scenes. Barkin portrays a suspect whom Pacino's character falls for, and has a love scene with him in the film. "This is what [the industry's] like," Barkin said. "And I had an easy time with it, believe me." A representative for Becker did not immediately respond to HuffPost's request for comment. EW has also attempted to reach Becker for comment. Barkin previously made headlines when she alluded on Twitter to having a bad experience in an elevator with controversial director Terry Gilliam, and when she testified about Johnny Depp's "controlling" and "jealous" behavior during Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. According to Barkin's HuffPost interview, she won't shy away from calling out "bad-faith actors" at this point in her life and career. "I have gotten phone calls that said, 'Please don't tweet,'" she said. But it'll take more than that to stop her. "The truth is, I am 68 years old. I don't give a f---. I'm fresh out of all my f---s." Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Related content: How actress Ellen Barkin is connected to Johnny Depp's defamation trial against Amber Heard Sea of Love: EW review Romeo and Juliet stars sue Paramount for alleged sexual exploitation over nude scene in 1968 film