The Big Picture
- Sam Wineman has filed a lawsuit against AMC Networks and Bryan Fuller, alleging sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, and retaliation during the production of Queer for Fear.
- Wineman specifically accused Fuller of sexual assault and claimed that executives ignored his complaints and instead punished him for speaking out.
- AMC and Shudder have not yet commented on the situation, while Bryan Fuller’s lawyer denies the allegations and threatens to sue Wineman for defamation. Another associate producer, Jordan Crucchiola, has come forward to support Wineman’s claims.
Sam Wineman, a producer and director aboard Shudder’s Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror, has filed a lawsuit against the streaming service, AMC Networks, and executive producer and director Bryan Fuller for sexual harassment as well as a hostile work environment and retaliation. In a filing with the LA Superior Court last week, Wineman had very explicit allegations against the Hannibal writer for his abusive actions while working on the 2022 docuseries. He also alleged that the horror streamer and its parent company terminated him from the series in August 2021 in response to him bringing complaints about Fuller’s “abuse…unlawful behavior and comments” to higher-ups including Shudder VP Nick Lazo.
“Defendant Bryan Fuller cultivated and maintained a hostile work environment as a result of harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation from the years 2020 to 2022,” the filing from Wineman reads. “Mr. Fuller sexually assaulted [plaintiff] several times throughout the Steakhaus Production of Queer for Fear for AMC defendants and their streaming service Shudder.” Speaking to how executives turned a blind eye to Fuller’s actions and instead punished Wineman for speaking out, the statement continued, “AMC defendants and executive producer defendants ignored all warning signs, facilitated and permitted Mr. Fuller’s unlawful conduct and ultimately ratified Mr. Fuller’s behavior and comments. [Defendants’] final act of retaliation was reducing [plaintiff]’s earned credits when the production aired in or around September 30, 2022.”
Shudder and AMC, for their part, have yet to comment on the situation. Fuller’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, however, wasted no time going on the attack on Thursday, claiming not only that Wineman made the whole story up but adding that the producer “will be sued for defamation based on what are 100 percent probably false statements.” His incendiary statement to Deadline continued:
“There is documented evidence which completely disproves the allegations against Bryan Fuller. Wineman created this fictitious story long after his gross incompetence necessitated his removal in an effort to extort AMC, Shudder, Steakhaus and Bryan Fuller. He never raised any allegation of wrongdoing prior to his removal because he knew that this was absolute garbage. Sam Wineman just made the biggest mistake of his life and once the evidence comes out, he will forever be known as a pathological liar. Rest assured; a malicious prosecution lawsuit aimed directly at him is coming soon.”
AMC’s ‘Queer for Fear’ Has Been the Target of Troubling Allegations Before
Wineman isn’t the first Queer for Fear alumni to allege issues aboard the four-part docuseries. One of his colleagues, associate producer Jordan Crucchiola, had voiced her “ethical concerns with the behavior of EPs overseeing the series” as the show was released. Curiously, she noticed her name disappear from the credits shortly after she spoke out about the toxic environment on the project which she believed implied retaliation for her comments. Getting any meaningful engagement from AMC regarding her removal from the credits was a major challenge for her as well.
Following the allegations from Wineman, Crucchiola came out in his defense on Twitter, citing her own experiences and possible retaliation. “I was an associate producer on Queer For Fear, before my name was taken off the credits, for several months in 2021,” she said. “And I was present for or told in real time about what is alleged against Bryan Fuller in this lawsuit. I stand with Sam telling the truth.” Furthermore, she says Fuller’s abuse was brought up “constantly” in their texts and that their conversations would sufficiently support his claims of the toxic work environment during production. She’d go on to chastise Freedman’s aggressive message to Wineman and cautioned everyone to consider the difference in what’s at stake for Wineman and the well-known Fuller when it comes to fighting a prolonged legal battle.
Queer for Fear explored the history and influence of LGBTQ+ artists in the horror and thriller genres and their respective communities with high-profile guests like Justin Simien, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and Carmen Maria Machado. The miniseries ran from September 30 to October 21, 2022. Read Wineman’s full lawsuit here.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
