Lauren Sanchez has been labeled a sexism victim after a report on the film she produced referred to her as a “unwelcome presence on set” and “inexperienced.”
Sanchez, who is Jeff Bezos’ girlfriend, was accused of presiding over a wild shoot that resulted in the director being dismissed, causing insiders to believe she is the victim of “sexism” while producing her first film.
Sanchez, 53, self-financed “The Golden Door,” a psychological thriller starring “World War Z” star Daniella Kertesz and Chris Rock’s ex-girlfriend Megalyn Echikunwoke of “Night School” fame.
The $2 million project was shot in Topanga, California last year in 20 days by Sanchez’s business, Adventure & Friendship.
But reports on Monday, March 20 from those who worked in the production said she was an “infrequent — and to some — unwelcome presence on set,” adding, “But she and Bezos did show up, her more than him, and his teen daughter was an intern on the project and was even given a small role in the film.”
Insiders who talked to Puck News described Sanchez, who revealed her relationship with Bezos in 2019, as “certainly a piece of work in the over-the-top Beverly Hills striver way.”
It also referred to her as “inexperienced,” despite the fact that she has her own aerial cinematography firm, Black Ops Aviation, and has previously filmed documentaries, including a short video about William Shatner’s flight to space on Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.
The film’s first assistant director, director of photography and script supervisor all quit during the shoot, the report said.
And a source also said she had a “relatively lavish” trailer while conditions were sweltering hot and craft services were dire, and asked to land her helicopter on set.
A source speaking to Page Six, denied she was inexperienced or high handed with crew.
“Of course Lauren was going to ask to use her helicopter to film aerial shots. She was involved – she even brought her own jewelry for the actors to wear on film. As for the lavish trailer, it was a 30 ft. Star Waggon, one-room trailer she shared with all producers.
“It’s just sexist; Lauren has been producing for a long time, just not in feature films. She’s a Latin woman who funded a movie with all females, which is no mean feat.”
The source admitted: “There were issues on the set, it was a little chaotic – it’s a $2 million budget movie and there were a bunch of newbies on set, new producers and semi-new directors. There was definitely more drama on set than Lauren is used to.”