Actor Craig McLachlan has denied reports of sexual misconduct
AT LEAST two more people have come forward with allegations against Craig McLachlan, as the producers of The Doctor Blake Mysteries put the show on hold. McLachlan has denied all claims.
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AT LEAST two more people have contacted police with complaints of sexual misconduct against actor Craig McLachlan.
The news comes after three cast members of the 2014 production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show told Fairfax Media and ABC they were inappropriately touched, harassed and bullied by the former Neighbours star while working with him. McLachlan has vigorously denied the claims.
The popular actor has said in an email to Fairfax Media the claims are “baseless” and “they seem to be simple inventions, perhaps made for financial reasons, perhaps to gain notoriety”.
“These allegations are ALL made up,” he said.
Victoria Police confirmed yesterday they had received complaints about McLachlan and said they are investigating the allegations.
“Detectives from Melbourne’s Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team are investigating,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
“As the investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to make any further comments.”
McLachlan has stepped down from his role in the current production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, while production of TV show The Doctor Blake Mysteries, which also stars McLachlan, has been suspended.
The Doctor Blake Mysteries, which is produced by December Media, was picked up by Channel Seven after it was axed by ABC last year.
Producers from the Rocky Horrow Picture Show’s production company, The Gordon Frost Organisation, released a statement yesterday saying they were shocked to hear of the allegations.
“We take these allegations very seriously, and have always endeavoured to prioritise a safe working environment,” the statement said.
“In response, we have spoken to Craig and have mutually agreed that it is not appropriate for him to continue in the current production of the show. We will be conducting a full internal investigation and will cooperate fully with authorities.
“While we clearly cannot comment on the details of this particular case, sexual assault in any form is unacceptable, and we will work diligently within this industry to support the right of all people to be protected in the workplace, and stand by those who are victims of inappropriate behaviour.
“In order to clarify media reports, we wish to state that we were not aware of any details of these allegations until they were published in the media today. We received correspondence from a law firm shortly before Christmas however this contained no details of the claims or the claimants.
“The response from our lawyers was based on this lack of information and was not in any way directed at the women who have come forward and made these allegations.
“We can also confirm that our records show the claimants at no time made any complaint - formal or informal - to the company manager or executive producer of The Rocky Horror Show in 2014.
“Furthermore no one at GFO recalls any verbal discussion of this nature. It would be distressing to us if anyone within our company was dismissive of sexual assault allegations, and this will form a part of our internal investigation.”
McLachlan was with the Rocky Horror Show in Adelaide. It was due to move to Brisbane on January 17.
Meanwhile, December Media said in a statement that it was “confident ... there have been no incidents involving any member of cast or crew, acting in any way inappropriately towards other cast or crew”.
“Throughout the six years of production of Doctor Blake it has not only been an enormously popular show on air but popular with cast and crew who come back to work on the series year after year. Craig has been central to this success both in front of camera and on set. It is not appropriate for December to respond to the allegations about Craig McLachlan’s behaviour in relation to another production he has appeared in,” the statement read.
“However, in light of these allegations December Media will temporarily hold production preparations for the new series to allow due process,” the statement read.
“December Media is committed to a safe and secure working environment. We do not tolerate any form of behaviour, which makes anyone feel threatened or uncomfortable for whatever reason in the workplace. December has policies and procedures in place to ensure all staff feel confident about reporting any issue or incident to management and can be assured that management will act swiftly. Given these allegations are subject to a police investigation December Media will not be making any further comment.”
THE ALLEGATIONS
One actress, Christie Whelan Browne, claims Craig McLachlan inappropriately touched her said some females working with the iconic actor were constantly on edge, fearing they would be harassed or bullied.
“You kind of had to go into the theatre with armour on, we had to. That’s the best way I could describe it,” Whelan Browne told the ABC’s 7.30 on Monday night.
She and two other former co-stars have made a series of claims against McLachlan.who has previously starred in top soaps Home and Away, Neighbours and on ABC drama Dr Blake Mysteries. He has strenuously denied each accusation and threatened legal action.
Whelan Browne was starring alongside McLachlan in the The Rocky Horror Show when she alleges he inappropriately touched her — live on stage in front of 2000 people.
“He was directed to kiss down my neck, down my arm and go down out of sight but he would always kiss down my breasts and continue to kiss all the way down until I would have to sort of move and wriggle away.”
McLachlan denies her claims, describing the show was “a confrontational musical oozing with sexuality” and that as a result “actors have to perform certain actions”.
Another actress, Erika Heynatz, said McLachlan confronted her in her dressing room one day.
“He knelt down in front of me and then started saying along the lines of, “You’re really beautiful. I can’t stop thinking about you. And he took me by the face and kissed me. And I was completely taken aback by it. So I was just kind of frozen. And shaky. It really unsettled me. It unnerved me. It undermined my confidence,” she told 7.30.
After another incident — involving him straddling her on a couch — she told him it was “too much”.
Angela Scundi told a director she didn’t want to perform an unscripted kiss with McLachlan, that he often improvised with the principal actress for which Scundi was an understudy.
She was assured she didn’t have to.
“The second night I went on, I ran in, hugged. He grabbed me and kissed me. But I couldn’t do anything. That’s what I felt. I was caught completely off guard because the night before he hadn’t done that. And so I thought I was safe.
She confronted him, calling him a “cheeky b***ard”.
She says when confronted him about the unwanted kiss, he turned on her.
“He turned around and he said, “What do you mean?” And I’m like, “Don’t do that. Don’t you kiss me. Don’t you do that ever again.”
She continued: “And he turned and, like, I don’t feel fear at that level, but I haven’t felt that terrified ever in my life or ever again.
Fairfax Media and the ABC reported that a number of McLachlan’s female cast members in the 2014 theatre production of The Rocky Horror Show alleged they were the subject of inappropriate behaviour by the former Neighbours star.
Actress Erika Heynatz reportedly described him as “really calculated and very manipulative, a predator”.
Another actress, who had also reportedly worked with McLachlan, said her “biggest pet peeve is that people think he is this ukulele-playing larrikin that they see on the Today show every couple of months when he comes on to spruik something he’s doing”.
“He’s a larrikin, up for a laugh and certainly, when we all first met him, that’s indeed how he came across. But there is another side to this man that he has very, very craftily and cleverly disguised from people for so long. It’s like this split personality,” she said.
Actress Angela Scundi, who worked with McLachlan on the 2014 production of The Rocky Horror Show, reportedly said that the star allegedly made inappropriate comments about her breasts, while recalling an incident where he was reportedly wearing only boxer shorts when he hugged her.
“He pushed his pelvis into me and moved around,” Scundi, who played a phantom in the production and was the understudy to Heynatz’s Magenta, said.
“Craig grabbed my hand and said to me, ‘Every day I am falling more and more in love with you’.”
Scundi claimed that McLachlan asked her to come into his dressing room, closed the door, took off his boxer shorts and stood up naked.
“I have NEVER done anything like this,” McLachlan reportedly said in his emailed statement.
In his statement, McLachlan said: “I am, and have been at all relevant times, in a stable relationship with my long-term partner.”
GFO, who is producing the current theatre production of The Rocky Horror Show which stars McLachlan, reportedly responded to the accusations through lawyers stating: “Your clients, by instructing your firm to send a letter alleging serious unlawful conduct (without any evidence to support such allegations), may have made defamatory statements regarding GFO, members of its management and also Mr McLachlan. Our client reserves all its rights in respect of that issue.”
Meanwhile, theatre producer Lisa Campbell has given her support to Whelan, Heynatz and Scundi on Twitter, saying “They have no reason to make this up and went to unions, producers, police and lawyers prior to this being public.”
I give my friends @Christie_Whelan @ErikaHeynatz & Angela Scundi my full support. Remember - They have no reason to make this up and went to unions, producers, police and lawyers prior to this being public. https://t.co/MbjYz4JZzE via @smh
— Lisa Campbell 🌈 (@LCLuckiest) January 7, 2018
Home and Away actress Penny McNamee also took to social media, describing the women as “honest and reliable”.
I know these women personally- they are honest and reasonable. I applaud their bravery. Thank you ladies. https://t.co/lbfdfc0YM4 via @smh
— Penny McNamee (@PennyMcNamee) January 7, 2018
Originally published as Actor Craig McLachlan has denied reports of sexual misconduct