eOne Entertainment, the studio behind ABC’s newest police drama The Rookie, has dismissed sexual harassment and discrimination claims made by former star Afton Williamson. Williamson played officer Talia Bishop in season one of the series before leaving the show ahead of season two. The star cited sexual harassment and discrimination along with a showrunner who refused to report either to HR as the reasons for her departure on Instagram.
In the weeks since Williamson’s August 4th post, eOne Entertainment hired third party investigators to look into Williamson’s claim. That investigation reportedly turned up no signs of “behavior inappropriate for the workplace.” eOne Entertainment detailed the findings of the investigation and subsequent decision to dismiss the claims in a statement published by Variety on Tuesday.
“We are today addressing the findings of the investigation initiated as a result of the claims made by actor Afton Williamson regarding our series The Rookie. The investigation was commissioned via law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP who engaged third-party firm EXTTI, recognized for their extensive expertise in investigating allegations of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace.
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 responded Tuesday in another Instagram post. In the post, the actress stated that she is saddened by “the lengths that were taken to Deceive, Lie, and Cover-Up the Truth.” As of right now, no further action against the show, eOne Entertainment, or ABC is being pursued by the actress.
Season two of The Rookie is set to premiere September 29th on ABC.
