Actors want first say on kisses

Press, 1 November 1985, Page 6

Actors want first say on kisses

NZPA-AP Los Angeles The Screen Actors Guild, reflecting its members’ concern over the possibility of contracting A.I.D.S. on movie sets, said yesterday that it had asked producers to disclose whether any scene included open-mouth kissing. Notification of such scenes must come before an actor signed for a role, the

talent union said. “Under this health crisis, some actor may feel openmouth kissing is hazardous,” said the guild’s third national vice-president, Dean Santoro. “We are not saying it is. This is not a medical bulletin. It’s a labour matter.” The guild also gave a warning that rejecting an actor because of homo-

sexuality breached its contract clause against discrimination. Guild officials were careful to emphasise that they were not aware of any such discrimination. The two points were covered in a letter sent on Tuesday to the approximately 7000 producers and agents who had a contract with the guild, a spokesman said.

Since it was disclosed in July that the actor, Rock Hudson, was suffering from A.1.D.5., questions have been raised about the safety of open-mouth kissing for movie and television scenes. Hudson died of complications from A.I.D.S. on October 3. Scientists have said that although the suspected A.I.D.S. virus has been found in saliva, they do not be-

lieve the disease can be transmitted by kissing. They say that the concentration of the virus in saliva is too low. But they have issued warnings that it is conceivable the disease might be spread by kissing if saliva containing the virus comes into contact with an open cut in the other person’s mouth.