Colin Farrell Gets Restraining Order
Colin Farrell obtained a restraining order Friday against a woman who walked onto the set and confronted him during a taping of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
The order issued in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica requires Dessarae Bradford, 31, to stay away from the actor pending an Aug. 16 hearing before a judge, a court clerk said.
The order bars Bradford from coming within 150 yards of the actor, as well as his home and workplaces.
A call to Bradford's home and e-mail seeking comment were not immediately returned Friday.
The "Tonight Show" incident occurred Thursday at NBC studios in Burbank. It was not shown in that night's broadcast.
"Mr. Farrell had never met or spoken to Ms. Bradford until the incident at 'The Tonight Show,"' said a statement from Farrell's publicist, Danica Smith.
The statement also said Bradford "has unsuccessfully pursued two fabricated lawsuits" against Farrell during the past two years. It said courts dismissed both suits, but gave no details of those claims.
In May, however, Bradford sued Farrell in federal court for libel, assault and slander, seeking $10,000 in damages. A previous suit filed in small-claims court and then in state court was dismissed.
Bradford was a ticketed member of the audience when she walked onto the set, said Burbank police Sgt. Kevin Grandalski.
"She gave him either papers or books. She gave him some object," Grandalski said.
According to Access Hollywood, the woman wrote a self-published book about the actor titled "Colin Farrell: A Dark Twisted Puppy."
Witnesses say she dropped a copy of the book on Leno's desk before Farrell escorted her off the stage.
"NBC chose to have her escorted off the premises" and she was told she would be arrested if she returned, Sgt. Grandalski said.
The incident was described by audience member Molly Mattaini, 16, of St. Paul, Minn.
"She said something to Colin Farrell that no one heard, then he took her by the elbow, led her off stage, asked the cameramen to turn off their cameras and asked for security," she said.
A member of the studio audience told Access Hollywood that the woman shouted "I'll see you in court" as she was taken away from the set.
"You're insane," was Farrell's response.
Mattaini said Farrell returned to the stage and apologized to the audience.
"He sat back down and said, 'My first stalker,' and Jay Leno said, 'Welcome to celebrity,"' Mattaini said.
Farrell remained on stage the rest of the show, appearing "very calm, very collected," Mattaini said. Later in the evening, he appeared at the premiere of his new movie, "Miami Vice."