She tried to politely dismiss the assault without insulting the star. She even offered to quit, concerned it would be awkward to film scenes as romantic partners. But the contract had been signed, Lewis said. The costumes were made. And she was due back for filming in three days.
When Sharpe returned to Greystone Mansion on her start date, a crew member was waiting with a message: According to Sharpe, the entire production, save for the director and assistant director, had been told they could not speak to Sharpe. “If anyone speaks to you…we’ll be fined,” the crew member explained apologetically. “I wanted to let you know…. But I can’t even speak to you.”
The punishment went further: Before her first scene, Sharpe learned that Lewis would not rehearse with her. She could work with Lewis’s stand-in, but when the lead arrived, he refused to interact with or acknowledge Sharpe unless the camera was rolling. “That happened through the whole film,” she says. “He never worked with me. He never spoke to me. The first take of what we did together was what went on film. And that was what everyone was going to see.”