Jeepers Creepers 3 casting notice pulled after warning sent round about paedophile director Victor Salva

The union alert reminded actors and agents that they are entitled to refuse work 'if they believe it to be unsafe'

Victor Salva served 15 months of a three-year prison sentence for child molestation (Getty Images)

Agents and actors have been alerted to a casting call issued by convicted child molester Victor Salva for a third Jeepers Creepers movie.

In 1988, the US director was convicted of oral sex with Nathan Forrest Winters, the 12-year-old boy who had played the lead role in his horror film Clownhouse. He served 15 months of his three-year prison sentence and released the first Jeepers Creepers in 2001 after a five-year absence from Hollywood.

Salva’s latest casting notice advertised for the part of a 13-year-old girl called Addison who moves to live with her grandma after her stepfather starts “making overtures” to her. It sought an 18-year-old for the role, with shooting scheduled to begin in British Columbia, Canada shortly.

However, production looks set to be delayed after the Union of British Columbia Performers caught wind of the notice, posted on Breakdown Services, and circulated a warning to those in the industry, reminding them of Salva’s criminal past.

“It has recently come to our attention that a casting breakdown has gone out for a future film entitled Jeepers Creepers III and that the director of the film, Victor Salva, was convicted of sexual misconduct in 1988,” the message read.

“The conviction allegedly resulted from misconduct involving a minor whom Mr Salva was directing at the time. At this time we would like to remind our members and their agents that, under Article A2702 (Safety and Welfare of a Minor) of the BC Master Production Agreement, a performer has the right to refuse work if they believe the nature of the work is unsafe.”

Breakdown Services removed the notice from its site soon after receiving the alert and issued the following statement, according to Deadline: “Upon learning of this notice and our own verification of the facts surrounding Salva’s conviction, Breakdown Services has removed this project from its files.

“All submissions made by any agent on this project are no longer available to the casting director nor any member of the production staff.”

Salva publicly acknowledged his conviction in 2006 when he begged for forgiveness during an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “I made a terrible mistake, one I wish I could take back every day of my life,” he said.

“I pled guilty to a terrible crime and I’ve spent the rest of my life trying to make up for it. For almost 20 years I’ve been involved with helping others, I’ve been in therapy and I’ve made movies.

“But I paid my debt to society and apologised to the young man and all I can hope is that people will give me a chance to redeem myself.”

Jeepers Creepers 3 is currently in pre-production and aiming for a 2017 release date. It remains unknown whether plans will be affected by Salva’s past and he is yet to comment.