An actress who appeared in the controversial anti-Islam video that sparked global riots tried unsuccessfully to get a judge to order the film taken off YouTube.

Cindy Lee Garcia filed suit in a California Superior Court requesting that Judge Luis Lavin order the 14-minute video come down, claiming she was duped by the film’s producer.

Garcia said filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (aka Sam Bacile) characterized the film, Desert Warriors, as an “historical Arabian Desert adventure film” that contained nothing about religion and nothing that demonized the prophet Mohammed.

But by the time the film had been uploaded to YouTube, the title had been changed to The Innocence of Muslims and Garcia, playing the mother of a 12-year-old girl who is to marry the prophet, is seen uttering the lines: “Is your Muhammad a child molester? Our daughter is but a child, and he’s 55 years old.” Garcia says she never said the name Mohammed while shooting the video.

Lavin rejected Garcia’s request to have YouTube remove the film, in part because Nakoula had not been served a copy of the lawsuit.

The video has reportedly incited anti-American riots in more than 20 countries and was a catalyst in the killing of four embassy officials in Libya, including American Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Garcia says she has received “credible death threats” and is no longer allowed to babysit her grandchildren because of fear for their safety.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Judge Won't Force YouTube to Remove Anti-Muslim Video (by Annie Youderian, Courthouse News)

Actress Demands Removal of 'Vile' Anti-Muslim Video From YouTube (by Annie Youderian, Courthouse News Service)

'Innocence of Muslims' Actress: Director 'Will Stand Before God for What He Has Done' (by Paul Bond, Hollywood Reporter)

‘It Makes Me Sick’: Actress in Muhammed Movie Says She Was Deceived, Had No Idea It Was About Islam (by Adrian Chen, Gawker)