American porn star Melissa Hutchison has filed a lawsuit against one of her castmates, claiming she was forced to finish filming an orgy scene after a serious incident on set.
Hutchison, who may be best known by her screen name Phoenix Marie, filed the federal lawsuit this year following the alleged incident which unfolded in October.
In the suit, obtained by The Daily Beast, Hutchison said she had traveled to Barcelona for a shoot involving actor and director Danny D, porn star Cherie DeVille and a 'young female with the screen name Zaawaadi', among others.
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With training as an emergency medical technician, Hutchison's suit says she took it upon herself to counsel Zaawaadi before her first-ever anal sex scene.
Zaawaadi allegedly told Hutchison she had taken three anti-diarrheal tablets ahead of the shoot, but Hutchison informed her that exceeded the recommended dose.
Hutchison is then said to have given Zaawaadi two natural probiotic pills and two tablets of a natural laxative to be taken after the scene, to help counter any potential effects of the anti-diarrheal tablets.
The complaint goes on to claim that Danny D’s girlfriend Liss Lacao, who also worked as the shoot’s makeup artist/production manager/talent liaison, told Hutchison she had been dealing with depression and was taking lithium to help treat it.
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Later, as the cast were filming the orgy scene, Lacao shouted: “Emergency, emergency! She can’t breathe!”
Hutchison allegedly then ran inside the house and found Zaawaadi lying on the couch, 'shaking violently and screaming that she couldn’t breathe'.
Hutchison then shouted for someone to call an ambulance and started 'emergency care', including calling her sister to get her medical history.
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When Hutchison asked Zaawaadi if she had taken any drugs, she allegedly responded: "Only the 4 pills you gave me."
The suit alleges Danny D was 'reluctant' to involve authorities and waited more than hour to summon help, but an ambulance arrived after it became clear that Zaawaadi’s life was in danger.
Hutchison wanted to stop the shoot and was 'severely shaken' by the incident, but the suit claims Danny D 'insisted that they finish the scene, so Hutchison continued filming the orgy scene against her will'.
The next morning, Danny D is said to have told Hutchison that Zaawaadi had 'overdosed on lithium' and had been put into a medically induced coma.
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The complaint accuses Danny D of making Hutchison a 'scapegoat' for the poisoning while protecting Lacao, and claims she was told by production executives to go back to the US.
In a statement released following news of the lawsuit, Danny D branded the claims about him as 'completely false and unfounded'.
He said: "On a Spanish production, Pheonix Marie gave tablets to Zawaadi, who then had a medical emergency after taking those tablets, thankfully we were able to save her life.
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"The whole production cast & crew were present, including a talent assistant who can verify at no point, anyone was compelled or forced to perform in any nature, we have all footage, sign in’s & outs, plus statements from everyone on set.
"We pride ourselves on our professionalism and safe working environments for all talent."
Lacao told The Daily Beast: “At the moment, I’m not going to comment on anything, just, obviously, because of the situation."
Zaawaadi thankfully recovered after five days in a coma, and is now said to be 'healthy and performing again'.
Meanwhile, Hutchison claimed that in the weeks after the incident she became the subject of 'rumors' around the industry, so much so that her 'career and brand has been ruined'.
Her lawsuit names Danny D; Canadian firm Ethical Capital Partners, which owns Aylo, the company that operates Pornhub; a producer of the film, and three Aylo execs.
Hutchison is demanding more than $30,000,000 in damages due to loss of revenue, 'severe emotional distress' and 'malicious and false claims'.
In a statement to The Daily Beast, a spokesperson for Ethical Capital Partners said: “Out of respect for the integrity of court proceedings, our policy is not to comment on ongoing litigation. We look forward to the facts being fully and fairly aired in that forum.”
UNILAD has contacted Danny D and Ethical Capital Partners for comment.
Topics: Drugs, Health, Mental Health, US News
Emily Brown