Actress Caitlin O’Heaney has accused Val Kilmer of physically assaulting her during an audition for his 1991 movie ‘The Doors’.
Caitlin, 64, has claimed she is breaking a nondisclosure agreement by speaking out about the alleged incident which she claims took place when she auditioned for the movie – which chronicled the life of The Doors frontman Jim Morrison – as Jim’s girlfriend Pamela, a role which ultimately went to Meg Ryan.
The actress alleges that Val – who starred as Jim – struck her in the face and knocked her to the ground during her audition, when they were running a scene which involved a verbal argument between Jim and Pamela.
Speaking to Buzzfeed News, Caitlin – who was inspired to speak out about the alleged incident in the wake of the sexual harassment claims against Harvey Weinstein – said: "Women have come together, saying, ‘We’re not going to be f***ed by you.’ I finally have the confidence to speak about this. It’s too long that I’ve sat on this story.
"When I got to the room and Val Kilmer picked me up and shook me, throwing me down to the floor. [Director Oliver] Stone just stood there the whole time laughing."
Caitlin also reportedly showed the publication a police report from the time, the confidential settlement signed by her, Oliver, and Val, and a cheque made to her from a company attached to the film for $24,500.
However, Risa Bramon Garcia, the casting director for the film, has told Buzzfeed News that the scene Cailtin auditioned for was always intended to be "physical", and claims all the actors were warned that there could be physical contact during the audition.
She said: "I remember there was a moment Val pinned her to the wall – all part of the scene.
"It was way blown out of proportion. I am not somebody who takes this stuff lightly. I can tell the difference between something that’s abusive and a moment that got carried away.
"It was a very extreme reaction to a situation that to me was not extreme at all."
Caitlin, meanwhile, insists she was left "traumatised" by the alleged incident, and regrets signing the nondisclosure agreement that prevents her from discussing her allegations.
She said: "I went down to my car and I cried for about 20 minutes.
"I was so traumatised that, against my better judgment, I signed that document, which says I can never speak about this. If this was something that happened nowadays, I wouldn’t sign it."
And although she cannot talk about the alleged incident, she claims her career suffered drastically as a result.
She added: "My agent would call me and say, ‘Absolutely nobody will see you. We can’t even get you a reading or an audition. You’re dead.’"
Val Kilmer accused of physical assault during 1990s audition
