Eliza Dushku reveals child abuse on Arnold Schwarzenegger film
By Alexandra Heilbron on January 18, 2018 | 10 Comments
Eliza Dushku, who played the daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis in True Lies (1994) when she was 12 years old, says she was “sexually molested” by stunt co-ordinator Joel Kramer while working on the film. Not only that, but when she told a female adult friend about it at the time, who then confronted Kramer, a stunt Dushku performed went wrong and she wound up in hospital with broken ribs.
Dushku wrote in a Facebook post: “On a daily basis he rigged wires and harnesses on my 12 year old body. My life was literally in his hands: he hung me in the open air, from a tower crane, atop an office tower, 25+ stories high. Whereas he was supposed to be my protector, he was my abuser.”
She also detailed how Kramer groomed her for months and “made me feel special.” She added that he earned her parents’ trust, then lured her to his hotel room, promising her family he would take her for a swim at the stunt crew’s hotel pool and then out for her first sushi meal.
She wrote: “I remember vividly…. where exactly he placed me on one of the two hotel room beds, what movie he put on the television (Coneheads); how he disappeared in the bathroom and emerged, naked, bearing nothing but a small hand towel held flimsy at his mid-section. I remember what I was wearing (my favorite white denim shorts, thankfully, secured enough for me to keep on). I remember how he laid me down on the bed, wrapped me with his gigantic writhing body, and rubbed all over me… When he was ‘finished’, he suggested, “I think we should be careful…,” [about telling anyone] he meant. I was 12, he was 36.”
Kramer denied the allegations in an email to CNN, which read in part: “I do not understand what motivated Ms. Dushku to make this statement and I hope that she can find it in her conscious to correct this injustice and return my good name to me.”
Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger responded to a tweet from True Lies co-star Tom Arnold, in which Arnold said director James Cameron, co-star Jamie Curtis and he would definitely had done something at the time if they’d known, to which Schwarzenegger responded: “Tom, you bet your ass all of us would have done something. I’m shocked and saddened for Eliza but I am also proud of her – beyond being a great talent and an amazing woman, she is so courageous.”
For her part, Jamie Lee Curtis wrote an article about at Huffington Post in regards to Eliza Dushku’s experience and about protecting child actors, while James Cameron spoke out at a Television Critics Association panel, saying, “Because Hollywood deals with women who are victims 10, 15, 20 years ago who are famous today, so they get to have a louder voice when they come forward. Bravo for them for doing it and I’m glad Eliza did that. It’s just heartbreaking that it happened to her,” adding, “had I known about (it) there would have been no mercy.” ~Alexandra Heilbron
See the tweets below:
I promise you @JimCameron @Schwarzenegger @jamieleecurtis would’ve done something too. We all love & are proud of @elizadushku #metoo https://t.co/4rmjfWqj39
— Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) January 14, 2018
Tom, you bet your ass all of us would have done something. I’m shocked and saddened for Eliza but I am also proud of her – beyond being a great talent and an amazing woman, she is so courageous. https://t.co/EJJbkdior2
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) January 16, 2018
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I wonder if they would have done anything other than to tell Eliza to keep her mouth shut if she wanted to keep working in the business. If she’d said something at the time to anyone on set, that could’ve been the end of her career, that’s how these things worked in the past.
Ya this is so long ago and I wonder if this new movement in Hollywood is fogging their brains and thinking they would have done something about it had they known. I think maybe they would have done something though. He was a stunt guy, not a powerful Producer or the Director or one of the stars. I think that could have made the difference..had they known.
The abuse is horrible and then she had to endure his being in control of her safety and the prick of course is saying she is making up a story. Hopefully he never works again. He should be charged.
Terry Kellington, your baseing it as true. Just curious, but what if it’s not?
While I deplore the actions of all sexual predators, with child molesters the lowest of the low, tribute.can isn’t helping matters with the click bait headline and photo. Without reading the article, the casual reader is going to instantly assume Arnold Schwarzenegger is some sicko child predator. An image only reinforced by the screen shot from True Lies. It’s this sort of sensationalism that leads to charges of “Fake News.” I’m inclined to believe Eliza, but wouldn’t it be a travesty if the default for our society once again became automatic disbelief of victims?
I was alive then, and molesting children was not looked upon favorably. There’s no doubt in my mind that anyone in their right mind would have done something about it. It’s not like this guy was indispensable or powerful.
I’m wondering why the female adult friend she told about it at the time did nothing except confront the pig. Of course he is going to deny it. As an adult I think she should have went further than that. Maybe somehow let Elizas co-stars know what was going on.( even just one of them )
Parents, police would have been good too. I believe you Eliza and I think you are very brave too.
Genny’s comment: Quote:(I wonder if they would have done anything other than to tell Eliza to keep her mouth shut if she wanted to keep working in the business. If she’d said something at the time to anyone on set, that could’ve been the end of her career, that’s how these things worked in the past.) Unquote. is proof of what happens when someone comments without properly reading the originating post… She DID tell someone and it cost her broken ribs and it could have been worse. Before you comment be certain to read AND understand the story… I vibrate in anger with every story read of human abuse of others, animals and our Planet earth.
Kramer has admitted he had sex with a 16-year-old, but says the act was consensual. 16 is the legal limit in North Carolina. The stunt coordinator responded to stunt woman Albert’s claim. “I never invited the teenagers to my room.”
Yet another stunt woman has claimed Kramer sexually assaulted her…
Marc why are you so convinced it is not???? Eliza Dushku has no reason to lie I hate people who accuse the victims of lying when it is the predators who lie!!!!!