Steve Martin refutes harming Miriam Margolyes while filming ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Steve Martin responded to claims made by his former co-star Miriam Margolyes’, who accused him of being ‘horrid’ to her while working together.

Martin and Margolyes starred together on the 1986 movie musical Little Shop of Horrors. Margolyes, 82, played a dental receptionist to Martin’s villainous Orin Scrivello in the film.

In a statement to Us Weekly on Friday, Martin refuted the idea that he was ‘careless’ while doing stunts on the film.

“When I first read Miriam Margolyes’ pejorative account of our scene in Little Shop of Horrors, I was surprised. My memory is that we had a good communication as professional actors,” Martin, 78, told the outlet. “But when it is implied that I harmed her or was in some way careless about doing the stunts, I have to object.”

In her new memoir, Margolyes’ recalled shooting the scene, taking several tries to get right, in which Martin’s character knocks her character out with a punch.

In an interview with news.com.au, the actress, 82, shared that she was “repeatedly punched, slapped, and knocked down by an unlovely and unapologetic Steve Martin” for the scene.

“Perhaps he was method acting – and [I] came home grumpy with a splitting headache. He was incredibly unfriendly because he was a perfectionist,” she continued. “He was an artist and all he was interested in was getting the comic moment right, and he was correct to do that, but he should have included me.”

However, Martin rebutted stating that he took “EXTREME caution regarding the fake punch — the same caution I would use with any similar scene.”

He added Margolyes “assured me she felt fine, and we did a few successful takes and stopped. There was never any physical contact between her and me, accidental or otherwise, in this scene or any other we shot.”

Moreover, director Frank Oz concurred Martin’s statement. “I always rehearse physical actions in slow motion. The scene was supposed to include a fake punch,” he continued.

“It’s puzzling what she’s talking about. It’s not the Steve I know or anyone knows. He’s always been professional and respectful of everyone on all of my shoots.”