Even the most tech-savvy among us have been given a crash course in video-conferencing etiquette this year, with everything from work meetings to birthday parties, travel experiences and funerals being held on Zoom.
However, it seems one Hollywood director forgot the basics, as he failed to mute himself while he commented on the apartment of an actor getting ready to audition via video call.
Euphoria star Lukas Gage shared a short clip of the awkward moment on Twitter and Instagram, writing: "Psa if you're a [expletive]-talking director make sure to mute [yourself] on Zoom meetings".
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As Gage gets ready to perform a scene, a male director with an English accent can be heard saying: "These poor people live in these tiny apartments. Like, I'm looking at his background, and he's got his TV and you know ..."
Gage winces and interrupts, saying: "Yeah, unmuted ... I know, it's a [small] apartment. That's why give me this job, so I can get a better one!"
The director then replied to say he was "mortified".
"Listen, I am living in a four-by-four box, it's fine, just give me the job and we'll be fine," Gage said before the 29-second clip ended.
Who is the director that insulted Lukas Gage's apartment?
So far, Gage has declined to reveal the name of the director on the other end of the Zoom call. However, he has an English accent, which has led many to speculate names of potential guilty parties.
Gage did joke that he would reveal the identity of the director if the video received 100,000 likes. At the time of writing, it had more than 267,000 likes on Twitter and more than 713,000 views and 130,000 likes on Instagram.
Shameless star Emmy Rossum commented: "I think I know that voice. If it's who I'm thinking, he asked me to 'audition' for him once. But not to read a scene. He said he knew I could act. Just to come into his office in a bikini and do a twirl. No joke. That was the ask. My reps said he wanted to know if I was 'fat right now'."
Celebrity reactions
Naturally, a host of celebrities have spoken out in support of Gage, along with Rossum.
Joe Jonas commented on the fact that the 25-year-old actor handled it "like a champ". It was a sentiment echoed by Bad Times at the El Royale, Cynthia Erivo, who wrote: "On behalf of whoever that person was, I'm so sorry, that's unacceptable. You handled that with total grace."
Well done for handling that patronising British twerp with such good grace
<em>Downton Abbey </em>star Hugh Bonneville
"I dunno how you reacted so well lol," wrote Patrick Schwarzenegger, while Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville tweeted: "Well done for handling that patronising British twerp with such good grace."
“Classy response Lukas,” January Jones commented on Instagram. “DM me who it was so I can make note not to ever work with that person.”
Jones also commented that she could "guess" who it is speaking in the video.
Many stars took the opportunity to comment on the way that up-and-coming actors are treated, particularly in the audition process.
Comic Billy Eichner retweeted the video and wrote: "Actors are often (not always but often) treated like garbage and taken advantage of because 'we’re just lucky to have a job' and 'we’re gonna take the job anyway' etc etc."
The sentiment was echoed by Glee star Kevin McHale, who said: "Actors have to walk out on the plank and be open and vulnerable in an audition and too often the people on the other side have zero regard for what it takes and how personal it is."
Fellow Glee star Jenna Ushkowitz added: "Another thought ... we didn't ask to bring the audition into our homes. This incredibly challenging pandemic did. So be kind and compassionate. Times are hard for everyone."
Director Judd Apatow also tweeted the video, saying:, "As a young man I would have dreamt of an apartment like this one. Look at that sweet flat screen! The guitar! The mouldings!"