Star hits back on sex claims
ACTOR Craig McLachlan is attempting to discredit the Rocky Horror co-star who accused him of indecent assault, claiming in defamation proceedings launched yesterday she committed “indecent acts” on him and “expressed an interest in deviant sexual practices”.
In documents filed in the Supreme Court, McLachlan accuses actor Christie Whelan Browne, the ABC and Fairfax of defaming him. He also claims Ms Whelan was “a notoriously foul mouthed person who publicly distributed offensive matter”.
His statement of claim alleges during the 2014 stage production of the Rocky Horror Show Whelan Browne, who played Janet, gave him “wedgies” and grabbed at his boxer shorts and said “you’ve probably got more than [her exboyfriend] Rob Mills”.
He also alleges that Whelan Browne “‘ goosed’ him (that is, poked him between the but- tocks with her finger) on numerous occasions.”
Whelan Browne told the ABC and Fairfax Media on January 8 that while on stage McLachlan pulled her underwear to expose her bottom and kissed it and in another scene, under a bedsheet, traced the outline of her vagina.
Two other cast members also made allegations of harassment, bullying and inappropriate behaviour, including that he rubbed against female cast members and groped their breasts, but they are not named as defendants.
However, his statement of claim alleges one of them, Erika Heynatz, frequently came to his dressing room in her bra and underwear and “to vomit because of excess alcohol consumption and to discuss her personal relationship issues”.
McLachlan is seeking unspecified aggravated and special damages.
“The plaintiff has been greatly injured in his business, personal and professional reputation and has been and will be brought into public disrepute, odium, ridicule and contempt,” the claim states.
The legal action was filed a day after McLachlan was cleared by an internal investigation of sexual harassment or workplace misconduct on the set of The Doctor Blake Mysteries. The report found workplace culture on the set consisted of “sexual, lewd and bawdy” humour and behaviour.
The case is listed for a directions hearing on March 16.