Jamie Lee Curtis says Eliza Dushku opened up to her a few years ago about being allegedly molested by stunt coordinator Joel Kramer while filming True Lies when she was 12 years old.
In an essay published by the Huffington Post titled “Truth and Lies,” Curtis — who played Dushku’s mother in the 1994 film — said Dushku had previously “shared that story with me privately a few years ago. I was shocked and saddened then and still am today.”
“Eliza’s story has now awakened us from our denial slumber to a new, horrific reality. The abuse of children,” she added.
Kramer has denied Dushku’s claims, calling them “absolutely not true” in a statement to Variety,
Curtis went on to say that although “there are industry-wide legal protections for these young performers… sadly, as with any rules, these are often broken.”
“What compounds the difficulty here is that the stunt coordinator in question was literally in charge of our lives, our safety,” she wrote, adding that “All of us must take some responsibility that the loose and relaxed camaraderie that we share with our young performers has carried with it a misguided assumption that they are adults in an adult world, capable of making adult choices.”
She continued: “I hope today that what can come from all of these exposures are new guidelines and safe spaces for people ― regardless of age, gender, race or job ― to share their concerns and truths and that all abusers will be held accountable.”
Dushku, now 37, was starring in the film alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Curtis when she met Kramer — who has worked on many of Schwarzenegger’s films including Twins, Total Recall, Kindergarten Cop, Last Action Hero, Eraser, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
He was put in charge of her safety on the film, rigging her on wires and harnesses for the action movie’s then-groundbreaking stunts.
Dushku alleged in a Facebook post on Saturday that Kramer coaxed her into his Miami hotel room under the guise of a swim trip at the stunt crew’s pool one night only to strip naked and lay on top of her, rubbing himself all over her until he climaxed.
On the taxi ride home, he allegedly grew aroused again when he put Dushku on his lap in the backseat, she claimed.
Kramer told Variety that he “never molested” Dushku, calling the allegations “outright hyperbole and lies.”
According to Kramer, Dushku swam in the hotel pool with him and other members of the stunt crew, including Dushku’s stunt double. Afterwards, he took her to her first-ever sushi meal, and then took her home.
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Director James Cameron has since spoken out about Dushku’s allegation, saying that he was unaware of the alleged abuse at the time, but that “had I known about there would have been no mercy.”
“Eliza is very brave for speaking up,” the 63-year-old added at a Television Critics Association event on Saturday. “It’s just heartbreaking that it happened to her.”
Dushku’s legal guardian on the set of True Lies issued a statement backing the actress’ claims.
“Joel Kramer did what Eliza said he did,” Sue Booth-Forbes, who was assigned to protect the child actor when Dushku’s mother was not able to come to the action film set due to work, said in a statement to Deadline. “He is a pedophile, and he must face the consequences.”
RELATED: Eliza Dushku’s On-Set Legal Guardian Calls Joe Kramer a ‘Pedophile’ After Backing Molestation Claim
According to The Hollywood Reporter Kramer, who recently worked on films including Furious 7 and Blade Runner 2049, has been dropped by Worldwide Production Agency in light of the allegations.
“WPA has elected to part ways with Joel Kramer based on the allegations of misconduct now being reported,” president Richard Caleel said. “Such behavior is unacceptable and entirely at odds with the standards of conduct we demand of ourselves, and expect from our clients.”