'Notebook' Director Nick Cassavetes is 'Evil,' Heather Wahlquist's Mother Says amid Kidnapping Allegations

Nick Cassavetes, the actor and director of The Notebook, is an "evil" man who has a "hit" on his ex, Heather Wahlquist. The accusation comes from his former mother-in-law, Linda Massad, who tearfully told TMZ's Harvey Levin on Wednesday that Cassavetes is harassing them. Cassavetes, meanwhile, alleges that Wahlquist kidnapped their 13-year-old daughter, Barbarella (Barbie).

"That's not true," Massad told Levin. "[Cassavetes] knew every minute where his child was."

"You don't know what he's done," she said. "You have no idea what he's done and he discredited my precious daughter. She is so sweet and kindhearted. She never denied [him] of seeing his daughter. Never, Mr. Levin, never a bit. And now he's escalated this....He wants revenge against my daughter. It's not about his child. It's about my daughter leaving him. And he told her when she left, 'I will make your life a living hell.'"

Massad believes that Cassavetes is going after her, as well as her sister, Jeanette, because they helped Wahlquist and Barbie relocate to Oklahoma after the couple's divorce. "I'm afraid he's got some hitman after my kid and me and my sister," she said. "He's here bullying in the state of Oklahoma. Hiring this and hiring that."

Massad sounded confused during the conversation, and couldn't give a direct answer when asked why the situation had suddenly exploded. The couple split five years ago, in 2012, though she accused Cassavetes of beating Wahlquist on Christmas Eve in 2013. "You don't understand what he is secretly. He's evil and he's in with Charlie Sheen. It's awful," Massad cried. "I don't know. Heather will have to explain it to you. This is insane. I've never been through anything like this…"

Near the end of the clip, Massad claimed the director had sent people to her house in the middle of the night. "He's got people out after my kid secretly. He's got them after her. The other night I was horrified in my kitchen floor in the dark and they were pounding on my door and they jumped my fence and went all around my home. They wouldn't leave us alone," she added. "And if they thought I was going to let them into my house at 11:30 at night there was no damn way."

Cassavetes, who is the son of legendary director John Cassavetes and the actress Gena Rowland, has a very different story. On Tuesday, he told TMZ that Wahlquist was in violation of their custody agreement after keeping Barbie for Christmas. According to legal documents, his daughter was supposed to fly to Los Angeles on December 18 and return to Oklahoma after January 8.

Cassavetes filed a police report on Tuesday saying that Wahlquist had kidnapped Barbie and wouldn't let him speak to her. "My 13-year-old daughter Barbarella Cassavetes has gone missing, her mother repeatedly ignoring and disobeying court orders and stipulations. Heather Wahlquist is on the run, refusing to let me see Barbie, ignoring mandatory court appearances, and evading law enforcement," he told TMZ.

"We believe her family, grandmother Linda Massad and great aunt Jeanette Massad Anderson have been assisting in hiding Barbie and have also been served," he added. "I don't know if she is okay or not, and I am extremely concerned for her well-being."

The former couple is slated to appear in court next week to discuss their custody agreement.

Cassavetes has directed eight films, in addition to the massive 2004 hit The Notebook, which starred his mother and Wahlquist in a small role; she has appeared in several of his films. He was married once before, to Isabelle Rafalovich; they had two daughters together.