Miriam Margolyes recalls ‘horrid’ experiences from ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ set

Miriam Margolyes has described her experience working with Steve Martin on the set of Little Shop of Horrors as "horrid."

In the 1986 classic film, Margolyes portrayed a dental nurse who, in one scene, had doors slammed in her face by her boss, Orin Scrivello (played by Martin).

In her recently released memoir, Oh Miriam! Stories from an Extraordinary Life, the End of Days actor shared that she found the experience "uncomfortable" during the making of Little Shop of Horrors.

"Steve Martin was the psychopathic dentist; yes, he was undeniably brilliant, but horrid to me," Margolyes writes of the Only Murders in the Building star.

"During my only musical number ('Dentist!') 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 continues.

She adds: "Let it not be said that I have never suffered in the name of Art."

The 82-year-old actor later noted that she had a significantly more enjoyable experience working alongside Steve Buscemi in Ed and His Dead Mother.

"Steve Buscemi is a brilliant actor and we had a delightful rapport. For somebody who's being terrorized by me in the form of a murderous living corpse, he was unerringly sweet – knocked spots off Steve Martin," Margolyes writes.

In 2020, Margolyes revealed to Wylde Magazine that her least favorite role was in Little Shop Of Horrors.

"I had to be hit all day, and fall down all day, and I came home grumpy with a headache," she said. "So I think that's my least favorite experience, really."

Oh Miriam! Stories from an Extraordinary Life is available on purchase on Amazon, Bookshop, and various other bookstores.