Terrifier actress sues producers for 'filming nude scene without consent'
An actress who had her breakout role in the Terrifier film series has now filed to sue the director and producers, alleging fraud and sexual harassment.
On Sunday (26 October), Catherine Corcoran filed a lawsuit against director Damien Leone, producer Phil Falcone and several production companies, making a slew of accusations, including sexual harassment and unpaid profits.
Terrifier shot into the spotlight back in 2016, rising to fame for its extreme gore created from a tiny budget.
The franchise follows Art the Clown, a serial killer who originally goes on a killing spree in the fictional Miles Country area of New York, before moving on to a Christmas spree in Terrifier 3, the most financially successful film of the franchise. Most notably, Terrifier 2 went viral for seemingly causing viewers to pass out at screenings.
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However, one of the movie's stars has now filed in a California federal court this week, with her attorney claiming she was 'taken advantage' of while making the budget slasher.
According to the filing, Corcoran has claimed there was a breach in her contract with the slasher film franchise, with her lawyers alleging that she was 'taken advantage of' on set.
Corcoran - who played Dawn Falcon in the film's first title - also alleges that there was the distribution of sexually explicit materials without consent.
Corcoran's lawyers have claimed this was the 'all-too-common story of low-budget film producers taking advantage of a young actress through fraud, sexual harassment and, ultimately, betrayal'.
Included in the lawsuit are several other claims, which include the distribution of sexually explicit materials, breach of contract and promissory fraud. Here's everything we know.
Who is named on the Terrifier lawsuit?
Production companies Dark Age Cinema and Fuzz on the Lens Productions are named as defendants alongside Phil Falcone and Damien Leone.
A lawyer for Leone and Falcone said they deny all the claims made against them.
Pay dispute and 'freezing temperatures'
In the movie, Corcoran's character could be seen hung upside down while topless in a scene from the film, before being slaughtered - a scene which, according to the legal action, had her hung upside down from her ankles for more than 10 hours in 'below freezing temperatures'.
The Terrifier actress says she agreed to be paid on a low rate up front, earning the Screen Actors Guild’s (SAG) daily minimum of $100 (£75).
However, Corcoran says she is entitled to one percent of profits from the film and potential future franchise entries, as well as merchandise and other licensing, due to a deal she made in 2015 to make up for her low pay.
Corcoran claims she's only received $8,300 (£6,228), with payments stopping last year despite the franchise grossing over $100million (£75million).
The actress has claimed that her attempts to speak to the producer and creator were 'brushed off'.
Nude scene
Corcoran has further alleged she was told of her character's 'requirement' to be nude in her death scene beforehand. In addition, she says she asked to wear underwear while shooting, but was still made to do the scene topless without written consent, a requirement from SAG.
The lawsuit states that Falcone didn't get her consent to take 'numerous still photographs' of her body while she was glued to a piece of plywood, all while shooting long hours 'in below freezing temperatures in condemned buildings', claiming some didn't have bathrooms.
'Rat faeces'
Among her claims is that she had 'prosthetics with actual rat faeces put on her skin and duct tape over her mouth', describing the process of being removed from the plywood as 'long' and 'painful'.
According to the suit, Corcoran said that while there was a blanket available, it was rendered useless as it became covered in fake blood, so 'it ceased providing any warmth'.
The star became ill in days after filming as a result of cranial swelling and eardrum damage, the suit states.
The legal action claims the defendants have profited from merchandise depicting the actress' naked body, while lawyer Devin McRae said Cocoran took a risk for the franchise, which ultimately paid off, stating that it 'would not exist as it could not have been made on a shoestring budget otherwise'.
Devin McRae, an attorney for Corcoran, added: "When it came time to pay what was owed, the producers chose to cheat her."
Larry Zerner, a lawyer representing Leone and Falcone, said in response: “Damien and Phil deny the claims in the complaint and will vigorously defend this lawsuit.”
LADbible Group has previously reached out to Damien Leone, Phil Falcone, Dark Age Cinema and Fuzz on the Lens Productions for comment.
Joshua Nair