An actress from a film series that prompted cinema audiences to feel nauseous has filed a lawsuit over a nude scene.
On October 26, Catherine Corcoran, known for her role in Terrifier, initiated legal action against the movie’s producers and series director Damien Leone. She accuses them of breaching her contract regarding a one percent share of the profits and distributing explicit content without her consent.
The lawsuit was submitted to a federal court in California. Corcoran’s legal representatives described the situation as a ‘common tale of low-budget filmmakers exploiting a young actress through deceit, sexual harassment, and ultimately betrayal.’
In addition to Damien Leone, the lawsuit names production companies Dark Age Cinema and Fuzz on the Lens Productions, along with producer Phil Falcone.
Corcoran asserts she was sporadically paid royalties totaling about $8,300 after the sequel’s 2022 debut. She alleges these payments ‘became increasingly infrequent and insufficient’ and claims her concerns were dismissed by Falcone and Leone when raised.
Larry Zerner, a lawyer representing Leone, responded: “Damien and Phil deny the claims in the complaint and will vigorously defend this lawsuit.”
The suit includes allegations of legal infractions related to distributing explicit materials.
Corcoran contends she was not informed about being fully nude in a scene where her character is killed by Art the Clown while hanging upside down.
Producers are mandated to secure written consent for such scenes.
SAG-AFTRA guidelines assert that ‘work involving nudity or simulated sex puts performers in especially vulnerable positions. This work must be something performers engage in proudly and voluntarily.’
Corcoran was suspended by her ankles in the scene, leading to claims of cranial swelling and eardrum injury.
“Were it not for Corcoran’s willingness to take a risk on this production and receive her compensation on the back-end, the series would not exist as it could not have been made on a shoe-string budget otherwise,” stated Devin McRae, Corcoran’s attorney.
“However, when it came time to pay what was owed, the producers chose to cheat her.”
The Terrifier series gained notoriety for its graphic content and special effects, becoming a talking point when audiences fainted or vomited during Terrifier 2.