'I have to object': Steve Martin denies punching Miriam Margolyes while filming 'Little Shop of Horrors'

Steve Martin has addressed his Little Shop of Horrors co-star Miriam Margolyes' accusation that he hit her while filming a scene for the 1986 film.

In a statement obtained by USA TODAY, Martin said he remembered their time on set together differently and added he took "extreme caution" when filming a fake punch for the movie.

"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 said in the statement. "But when it is implied that I harmed her or was in some way careless about doing the stunts, I have to object. I remember taking EXTREME caution regarding the fake punch – the same caution I would use with any similar scene."

USA TODAY has reached out to Margolyes’ representatives regarding Martin's comments.

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In Margolyes' memoir, "Oh Miriam! Stories from an Extraordinary Life" the British-Australian actor said the "Only Murders In The Building" star actually struck her while filming the scene.

"I was hit all day by doors opening in my face; repeatedly punched, slapped and knocked down by an unlovely and unapologetic Steve Martin – perhaps he was method acting – and came home grumpy with a splitting headache," Margolyes wrote in the book set to release early next year, according to HuffPost.

Despite the alleged incident, Margolyes complimented Martin's acting saying he was “undeniably brilliant but horrid to me.”

In the musical horror film, the Harry Potter actor played dental assistant to Martin’s character. The referenced scene is a musical number where Martin's character slams a door in the face of Margolyes' character and punches her.

"She 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," Martin shared.

Martin said in his statement that there were multiple witnesses during the shooting of the scene including a stunt coordinator, a camera crew, a script supervisor, extras and the movie's director Frank Oz. Martin describes Oz as a "highly skilled and sensitive director" in the statement.

"I always rehearse physical actions in slow motion," Oz said in the statement. "The scene was supposed to include a fake punch. 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."

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