Alexi Hawley’s The Rookie, a popular ABC show centered around a rookie cop navigating the streets of Los Angeles, found itself in the midst of controversy after an African-American star accused them of racism. These allegations sparked a firestorm of discussions and debates online and offline, bringing attention to the complicated issues regarding diversity and representation in the media industry.
The controversy began when Afton Williamson, who assumed the role of Talia Bishop on the show, announced in 2019 that she would not be reprising her character for the second season. And why? Because of a hostile work atmosphere that included instances of racial discrimination and “s*xual harassment”.
Williamson, 39, penned about her experiences in a powerful statement on Instagram in 2019, criticizing specific people for their mistreatment towards her and other cast members.
The Rookie: Afton Williamson Left the Series Over On-Set Racism and ‘S*xual Harassment’
In August 2019, Afton Williamson posted on Instagram that she had left the ABC series starring
Nathan Fillion because of racism, racist remarks, bullying, and s*xual harassment. She said that the producers of the show largely ignored her claims until the head of the hair department’s harassment “escalated into a s*xual assault” at the wrap party.
She stated that she had informed executive producer/showrunner Alexi Hawley about inappropriate behavior, but that her allegations went unanswered, which prompted her to decide to leave the Entertainment One and ABC Studios-produced program:
“Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers. During the Season, it continued along with S*xual Harassment from a recurring guest star and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept. Head escalated into S*xual Assault at our Wrap party. The S*xual Harassment though reported directly to the Showrunner/EP remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised. The Hair Dept. Head was fired ONLY after the s*xual assault and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer.”
Williamson claimed that following her initial report of “s*xual harassment”, she was given the assurance that the actor would be let go. But the very next day, “as a courtesy to the script”, she went on film with him. But when the season came to an end,
“This actor reappeared on our call sheet, I was even 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.”
As fans of the show grappled with the news, a lot of people wondered how a show with such a loyal fan-base could be harboring such toxic behavior behind the scenes.
Producer of The Rookie Was Looking Into Afton Williamson’s Claims Of Racism And S*xual Misconduct
Entertainment One and ABC Studios—the studios behind the ABC cop dramedy—issued separate statements over 12 hours after former The Rookie star Afton Williamson released a shocking statement on Instagram that claimed she quit the series because of s*xual harassment and racial discrimination.
The lead studio overseeing production and all related matters, eOne, issued a statement :
“We take claims of this nature very seriously. We have initiated an independent investigation which is ongoing and as such, it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.”
ABC Studios released a statement stating that 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.”
So, where are we going from here? Well, everyone connected to the allegations refuted them. A third-party firm, EXTTI, and the law firm Mitchell Sillerberg and Knupp were brought in to conduct an investigation.
They looked through video and other evidence, interviewing nearly 400 people (per Variety). The investigation’s conclusions, which were released to the public on September 17, 2019, showed that Williamson’s claims lacked supporting evidence and were unverifiable. Meanwhile, Williamson stuck to her guns, explaining in a lengthy Instagram post that the investigation’s results were “heartbreaking” and that the producers had lied to conceal the truth of what had actually happened.
Despite creating quite a stir, The Rookie’s controversy presents an opportunity for growth and change in the entertainment industry. It’s time to start engaging in these conversations and pushing for real, tangible progress toward a more equitable future.
