The Rookie‘s Afton Williamson Identifies Guest Star Who Allegedly Harassed Her
Over the weekend, actress Afton Williamson announced that she’d quit her role on ABC’s The Rookie because of racial discrimination and sexual harassment on set that was perpetuated by a guest star and a staff member, and was ignored by the showrunners. At first, Williamson didn’t name names, but she recently named those who she alleged made her time at The Rookie such a terror.
Williamson called out “racial discrimination/racially charged inappropriate comments” from the head of the show’s hair department, Sally Nicole Ciganovich, and sexual harassment from a recurring guest star, who she has identified as Demetrius Grosse in an Instagram post where she thanks fans for standing behind her.
Grosse is known for playing Baron Samedi in NBC’s Heroes and played a series regular on The Rookie named Det. Kevin Wolf in five episodes of the show. As for the allegations towards the head of the hair department, Black actresses (and actors) have been vocal about how inexperienced a lot of professional hair people are when it comes to Black hair and makeup, and it is often left to the actor themselves to correct some of the bad work that is done.
Most black actresses come to a new set w/ their hair done (me) or bring their wigs & clip-ins w/them. It’s either that or take a chance that you will look crazy on screen. Many of us also bring our own foundation. One too many times seeing no shade that matches you will learn ya! https://t.co/mGAzpuoKtb
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) March 11, 2019
According to Jezebel, Monday morning at the network’s Television Critics Association summer press tour, ABC president Karey Burke said that she is “waiting for the results of that investigation” to take place. “At that time, those answers and those conclusions will help guide us about how to handle those situations in the future, if in fact there has been some sort of communication breakdown. I don’t have any more answers than that right now.”
Another woman leaving a job because of a showrunner’s inability to protect their actresses.
(via Jezebel, image: ABC)
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