Afton Williamson is speaking out after Entertainment One, the primary producer behind ABC’s The Rookie, released a statement regarding the independent investigation conducted into the allegations of racism and sexual misconduct on the show.
In an Instagram post, she said in part, “What saddens me the most is that the lengths that were taken to Deceive, Lie, and Cover Up the Truth, were far greater than those made to Protect and Maintain a Safe Working Environment for Employees. It’s Heartbreaking for everyone on that set; Past and Present. And for every Actor out there who Stands in the Face Of Harassment and Discrimination, Assault and Injustice […] I want to see, I will Continue to Work so that Casts & Crews alike finally See Words Align With Action. We’ve got to Do Better as an Industry. It’s just Talk until you actually Do Something.”
This comes after Entertainment One released a statement on their investigation. The statement, obtained by Shadow And Act, reads: We take all allegations of inappropriate conduct very seriously, particularly when the allegations involve discrimination or sexual harassment of any nature. We appreciate the cooperation of all those who were interviewed, including Ms. Williamson, the individuals she identified by name, and several other relevant production and staff members. The investigation encompassed nearly 400 hours of interviews and review of evidence, involving a significant amount of material, including video, that was provided to and examined by the investigator. As a result of the independent investigation, we have concluded that those identified in Ms. Williamson’s allegations did not conduct themselves in an unlawful manner or demonstrate behavior inappropriate for the workplace. It was also concluded that the executive producers, including showrunner Alexi Hawley, addressed matters of which they were made aware promptly and in a fair and reasonable manner. We recognize and respect that as individuals, the lens through which we view situations, interactions and comments, can differ based on our experiences and perspectives. As such, we regret that Ms. Williamson’s time on the series was not a positive one for her, and we respect her decision to move on to other projects. We continue to focus on fostering a safe and respectful work environment for all our corporate and production employees and further reinforce our policies and procedures. To protect the privacy of all those interviewed, the investigator’s report will not be available publicly.
Williamson co-starred in the series with Nathan Fillion, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin Jr., Mercedes Mason, Melissa O’Neil and Eric Winter. Williamson played Talia Bishop, the training officer to Nathan Fillion’s Nolan, a 40-year-old rookie. The character had a major presence and was a fan-favorite. Before landing one of the leads in The Rookie, which debuted its first season last year, she was most known for her roles in VH1’s The Breaks and HBO’s The Night Of.
After news of her departure surfaced in August, Williamson took to Instagram to detail at length the reasoning behind her exit, alleging that racist comments, bullying and sexual harassment were mainly ignored and unaddressed. She said that she was the subject of this behavior from the hair department, executive producers and a recurring guest star. Williamson alleges that after she told showrunner Alexi Hawley, her claims were not investigated and that the recurring guest star was able to continue on the show. She also said that the sexual harassment from the hair department escalated to sexual assault at the season 1 wrap party, and that the hair department head was only fired after the alleged assault and not after an “entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the hair and makeup trailer.”
She said she was not asked to participate in an investigation until after the Season 2 announcement, and she was assured the actor would be fired. However, she claims she was asked to film with the said actor the next day and that he re-appeared on their call sheet at the end of the season, and she was being written in scenes with him. “I asked the showrunner about this and he admitted to me that the actor had not been fired nor had he gotten HR involved. I was asked to return this season, and promised that ‘everything was handled.’ The investigation hadn’t even begun and Season 2 had already started filming. I turned it down and I walked,” the post reads.
Showrunner Alexi Hawley initially told TVLine, who broke the news of her exit, “It’s not really my place to get into her personal decision.”
Back in August, ABC Studios, who co-produces with eOne, said: “The allegations involve a producer from Entertainment One. In late June, eOne made us aware and informed us that they launched an investigation that is ongoing. The safety of working environments is a top priority for us, and we take this matter very seriously.”
