Health Officials Sued for Not Protecting Actors and Actresses Against Spread of AIDS

By Rachel Stockton

  The year was 1985, and a steamy, television romance was building between Krystle Carrington (Linda Evans) and Rock Hudson (Reece Daniel), two popular characters on the television show Dynasty. In one particular episode, Hudson and Evans kissed, solidifying their status as an onscreen "item" among prime time soap opera viewers.

  The scene was shot before anyone, aside from Hudson himself, knew he was suffering from AIDS. In 2008, Evans shared with Larry King her fear of becoming infected, even though kissing was not considered to be "risky behavior" with regards to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

  The argument was that Linda Evans was denied the opportunity through full disclosure to determine if she wanted to kiss Hudson or not. Since she didn't know about it, she can't have given permission to share an intimate scene with someone who was HIV positive.

  Fast forward 24 years. A porn star shoots a film, then finds out she is HIV positive. With help from the advocacy group the Aids Healthcare Foundation, a suit was filed in Superior Court alleging that the government had failed to protect actors and actresses from the spread of the disease by not requiring that condoms be worn during sexual scenes.

  County health officials verified that since 2004, they have discovered 18 cases of AIDS and a plethora of various sexually transmitted diseases within the industry. And while the agency concurs that something needs to be done to further protect the actors and actresses, they do not believe a lawsuit is the best way to reach that end.