Key Takeaways:
– Actress Caitlin O’Heaney alleges that Val Kilmer struck her during an audition for ‘The Doors.’
– O’Heaney claims Oliver Stone laughed during the incident.
– The actress later settled with Kilmer and Stone for $24,500.
– Following the incident, O’Heaney alleges her acting career dwindled drastically.
– ‘The Doors’ casting director, Risa Bramon Garcia, described O’Heaney’s reaction as blow out of proportion.
The Fury Within ‘The Doors’ Audition
An off-screen drama has recently resurfaced from the shooting of the 1991 film ‘The Doors.’ Actress Caitlin O’Heaney disclosed a disturbing incident from her audition for the film. According to O’Heaney, she was assailed by Val Kilmer, who played the lead role of Jim Morrison, during the reading session.
A Role that Turned Sour
For getting into the shoes of a complex character like Jim Morrison, Kilmer detached completely from his usual self and plunged into the character. A complete unknown to his intensive method acting, O’Heaney found herself into a whirlpool of furor during her audition for the character of Pamela Courson, Morrison’s girlfriend in the film.
A Verbal Altercation Turned Physical
Moving further into the accounts shared in the Buzzfeed interview, O’Heaney describes a grim series of events during a script reading. The scene involved a tussle between Morrison and Courson, which surprisingly crossed the boundaries of a regular acting session as Kilmer got physical with the actress.
O’Heaney recalled how Kilmer, who was completely in character, allegedly picked her up, shaking and hurling her to the floor. She added, appallingly, that director Oliver Stone merely looked on and laughed during the entire episode. She alleged that Kilmer also punched her in the face during the audition.
Disclosing her emotional distress, O’Heaney shared that after the combative audition, she sobbed inconsolably in her car for about 20 minutes.
Legal Actions and Settlement
In response to the incident, O’Heaney took legal course and filed a police report for battery a month after the audition. As a consequence, the actress received a settlement amount of $24,500 from Kilmer and Stone. Out of the total settlement, O’Heaney pocketed $8,000. According to the settlement agreement, the actor and director were absolved from any wrongdoings, and O’Heaney was prohibited from discussing the incident.
Inspired by the bravery of the women who spoke against Harvey Weinstein, O’Heaney found the courage to share her experience.
A Career Sent Tumbling
Following the incident, O’Heaney recognized a downward spiral in her acting career. Based on her claims, even her agent could not secure auditions for her, driving her to go back to Wisconsin, where she started working for Greenpeace.
Risa Bramon Garcia, casting director for ‘The Doors,’ told Buzzfeed that O’Heaney’s reaction to the incident was extremely exaggerated. She emphasized that all the actors were informed before the script reading that it involved physical contact.
Reflecting on her settlement, O’Heaney confessed that she felt regret for signing the agreement which she did against her better judgment owing to her traumatized state. She expressed that if she encountered such an experience today, she would know better than to sign such a pact.
Though the incident left a sour taste in O’Heaney’s life, the film ‘The Doors,’ continues to enthrall audiences, currently available for streaming on Prime Video and Paramount+.
