Recently, Steve Martin, who collaborated with Miriam Margolyes on the 1986 musical horror film Little Shop of Horrors, shared his experience working on the movie set after Margoyles detailed in her memoir, Oh Miriam: Stories from an Extraordinary Life, that Martin exhibited terrible behaviors on the movie set.
“I was hit all day by doors opening in my face; repeatedly punched, slapped, and knocked down by an unlovely and unapologetic Steve Martin — perhaps he was method acting — and came home grumpy with a splitting headache,” she wrote. “Let it not be said that I have never suffered in the name of art.”
Steve Martin denies allegations of maltreatment by Miriam Margolyes
While speaking to Fox News Digital, the 78-year-old expressed amazement at Margolyes’s account of the event. “When I first read Miriam Margolyes’ pejorative account of our scene in Little Shop of Horrors, I was surprised,” Martin penned. “My memory is that we had a good communication as professional actors.”
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Responding to the allegations of physically hurting her, Martin revealed that a high level of professionalism consistently marked his conduct throughout their time on the production set. “When it is implied that I harmed her or was in some way careless about doing the stunts, I have to object. I remember taking extreme caution regarding the fake punch — the same caution I would use with any similar scene. She assured me she felt fine, and we did a few successful takes and stopped,” the multiple Grammy Award winner explained. “There was never any physical contact between her and me, accidental or otherwise, in this scene or any other we shot.”
Frank Oz, the director of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ corroborates Steve Martin’s statement
The actor maintained that every action undertaken while making the movie was carried out under the supervision of the production crew. “Also on the set, keeping their eyes on the action, was the highly skilled and sensitive director, Frank Oz; a stunt coordinator, a camera crew, a script supervisor, as well as extras who witnessed the entire, very-well rehearsed scene,” he said.
Frank Oz also weighed in on the matter in a statement in which he staunchly defended Martin and expressed his perplexity regarding Miriam Margolyes’ description of the scene in question. “I always rehearse physical actions in slow motion, the scene was supposed to include a fake punch. It’s puzzling what she’s talking about. It’s not the Steve I know or anyone knows,” the director confessed. “He’s always been professional and respectful of everyone on all of my shoots.”