Joel Kramer (Stuntman)
Joel Kramer (Stuntman)
Photo of Joel Kramer taken and shared on his IMDb.
Joel Kramer (September 10, 1957) is an American Hollywood Stuntman known in the industry as one of the most sought after for big budget films. [undefined] He has worked on sets alongside action film stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger since the early 1980s. [undefined] In early January, 2017, Eliza Dushku revealed that she was allegedly Sexually assaulted By Kramer. [undefined]
Personal Life
Kramer was born and raised in the state of Arizona. For most of his life he had his upbringing in the city of Tucson. [undefined]
Stuntman
Since the early 1980s he has worked as a stunt coordinator and other positions related to stunts for dozens of Hollywood film sets.
[1] [undefined] He has also worked as the stunt and body double for most of the Arnold Schwarzenegger actions films in his career. Some of the titles he has worked for include: Predator , Total Recall , Ghostbusters 2 , Terminator2, Last Action Hero , and True Lies . [undefined]
Quotes as a stuntman:
Sexual Abuse Allegations
Photo of Joel Kramer that has been shared on his IMDB.
In the early morning of Saturday morning, January 13th, 2018, Eliza Dushku wrote a long Facebook post detailing how Joel Kramer sexually assaulted her during the filming of True Lies in which she was a young girl of 12 years old at the time. Kramer was 36 years old. [undefined]
Dushku claims Kramer assaulted her in a hotel room.
While inside of the room, she says that “laid me down on the bed, wrapped me with his gigantic writhing body, and rubbed all over me”.
Dushku wrote the following in a Facebook post:
When I was 12 years old, while filming “True Lies”, I was sexually molested by Joel Kramer, one of Hollywood’s leading stunt coordinators.
Ever since, I have struggled with how and when to disclose this, if ever.
At the time, I shared what happened to me with my parents, two adult friends and one of my older brothers.
No one seemed ready to confront this taboo subject then, nor was I. I am grateful to the women and men who have gone before me in recent months.
The ever-growing list of sexual abuse and harassment victims who have spoken out with their truths have finally given me the ability to speak out.
It has been indescribably exhausting, bottling this up inside me for all of these years.
I remember, so clearly 25 years later, how Joel Kramer made me feel special, how he methodically built my and my parents’ trust, for months grooming me; exactly how he lured me to his Miami hotel room with a promise to my parent that he would take me for a swim at the stunt crew’s hotel pool and for my first sushi meal thereafter.
I remember vividly how he methodically drew the shades and turned down the lights; how he cranked up the air-conditioning to what felt like freezing levels, 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.
He spoke these words: “You’re not going to sleep on me now sweetie, stop pretending you’re sleeping,” as he rubbed harder and faster against my catatonic body.
When he was ‘finished’, he suggested, “I think we should be careful…,” [about telling anyone] he meant.
I was 12, he was 36.
I remember how afterwards, the taxi driver stared at me in the rear view mirror when Joel Kramer put me on his lap in the backseat and clutched me and grew aroused again; and how my eyes never left the driver’s eyes during that long ride over a Miami bridge, back to my hotel and parent.
I remember how Joel Kramer grew cold with me in the ensuing weeks, how everything felt different on the set.
And I remember how soon-after, when my tough adult female friend (in whom I had confided my terrible secret on the condition of a trade that she let me drive her car around the Hollywood Hills) came out to the set to visit and face him, later that very same day, by no small coincidence, I was injured from a stunt-gone-wrong on the Harrier jet.
With broken ribs, I spent the evening in the hospital.
To be clear, over the course of those months rehearsing and filming True Lies, it was Joel Kramer who was responsible for my safety on a film that at the time broke new ground for action films.
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.
Why speak out now?
I was 12, he was 36.
It is incomprehensible.
Why didn’t an adult on the set find his predatory advances strange — that over-the-top special attention he gave me.
Fairly early on he nicknamed me “Jailbait” and brazenly called me by this name in a sick flirty way in front of others (at the time, I remember asking one of my older brothers what it meant).
Sure, I’ve come to understand the terrible power dynamics that play into whistle-blowing by “subordinates” against persons in power, how difficult it can be for someone to speak up.
But I was a child.
Over the years I’ve really struggled as I’ve wondered how my life might have been different if someone, any one grown-up who witnessed his sick ways, had spoken up before he lured me to that hotel room.
Years ago, I had heard second hand that Joel Kramer was “found out” and forced to leave the business.
I learned recently that in fact he still works at the top of the industry.
And a few weeks ago, I found an internet photo of Joel Kramer hugging a young girl.
That image has haunted me near nonstop since.
I can no longer hide what happened.
Hollywood has been very good to me in many ways.
Nevertheless, Hollywood also failed to protect me, a child actress.
I like to think of myself as a tough Boston chick, in many ways I suppose not unlike Faith, Missy, or Echo.
Through the years, brave fans have regularly shared with me how some of my characters have given them the conviction to stand up to their abusers.
Now it is you who give me strength and conviction.
I hope that speaking out will help other victims and protect against future abuse.
With every person that speaks out, every banner that drops down onto my iphone screen disclosing similar stories/truths, my resolve strengthens.
Sharing these words, finally calling my abuser out publicly by name, brings the start of a new calm.
Kramer has since responded and denied the claims.
He said the following on record about the allegations:
"It's something I would never do.
I don't know where this comes from.
I am absolutely floored, she was a sweet kid I am absolutely in shock right now.
I don't know why she would do this to me.
It is not true.
I was the one driving the car — the company provides me with a car.
What the hell is she talking about it.
Absolutely crazy.
I just don't understand it.
Be nice to somebody, treat them good and this is what happens.
I think she has just ruined my career … what's left of it.
I never ever did anything like that to her."
Sue Booth-Forbes, who is closely related to Dushku and was her guardian at the time of the filming provided her account and backs Dushku’s accusations against Kramer.
Booth-Forbes says that while she was on set for three weeks Kramer's misconduct was reported during a set that was ruled by constant misogyny.
She suffered broken ribs on set.