Craig McLachlan accused of being a "sexual predator"
Australia actor Craig McLachlan has denied claims of indecent assault, sexual harassment, exposing himself and bullying female co-stars.
Fairfax Media and the ABC report a number of McLachlan’s female cast members in the 2014 theatre production of The Rocky Horror Show alleged the star abused, harassed or assaulted them.
McLachlan has been accused by multiple actresses of allegedly “touching their genitalia”, “groping their breasts”, “exposing himself” and “pressing his penis against them”.
Many of the actresses have also made claims to police.
The award-winning actor, best known for his roles in the Doctor Blake Mysteries, Neighbours and Home & Away, 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.
Actress Erika Heynatz, who went to the police about McLachlan’s behaviour, 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. The other personality is this sinister, predatory behaviour,” she said.
Actress Angela Scundi, who worked with McLachlan on The Rocky Horror Show, said the star allegedly made inappropriate comments about her breasts and recalled an incident when McLachlan only wore boxer shorts when he hugged her.
“He pushed his pelvis into me and moved around so I could feel his penis against my body,” 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, who has reportedly made a statement to police, also alleges McLachlan asked her to come into his dressing room, closed the door, took off his boxer shorts and stood up naked.
“I said ‘What the f***?!’ and turned away to leave. He responded with laughter, saying ‘No, no, no. Don’t go, sorry, I’m just so comfortable’.”
“I have NEVER done anything like this,” McLachlan reportedly said in his emailed statement.
In the statement, McLachlan said: “I am, and have been at all relevant times, in a stable relationship with my long-term partner.”