Actress Afton Williamson Calls Out Racism, Harassment on TV Show

By N. Jamiyla Chisholm Aug 05, 2019

Afton Williamson, who played training officer Talia Bishop on ABC’s “The Rookie,” took to Instagram Sunday (August 4) to post about the show, writing that she experienced racial discrimination and sexual harassment and assault while filming and would not return for the second season.

In response, ABC Studios reportedly said that in June, the production company eOne “made us aware and informed us that they launched an investigation that is ongoing,” Deadline reported.

But Williamson wrote that while the show’s executive producer and showrunner knew of the sexual harassment, they didn’t notify human resources and they didn’t remove the actor she reported from the show. Instead, she wrote, “This actor reappeared on our call sheet at the end of the season, I was even written in scenes with him.”

Rather than stay on a show that reportedly did not take her concerns seriously, Williamson decided to walk. “Now is the best time in the world to be a woman and I have a platform so it’s time to use my voice. Strength comes from within. It comes from above,” she wrote in her post, which you can see below:

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I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie. I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth. 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 Sexual Harassment from a recurring guest star and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept. Head escalated into Sexual Assault at our Wrap party.The Sexual 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 sexual 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. HR protocol was never adhered to following the above reports given by me to my Showrunner/EP and an investigation was never issued for any of my claims. The only time I was asked to participate in an investigation was after a meeting I called in June following our Season 2 announcement. This meeting included the Showrunner and two other producers as well as my agent and SAG-AFTRA Union Rep. It was clear to all present in the meeting that the Showrunner had not shared my reports with the any of the producers. After my initial report of sexual harassment, I was assured that the actor would be fired. I was also asked to film with him the very next day as a courtesy to the script, even though we had not begun filming the episode yet. This actor reappeared on our call sheet at the end of the season, 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. 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. Now is the best time in the world to be a woman and I have a platform so it’s time to use my Voice. Strength comes from within. It comes from Above. “Greater is He that is within Me than he that is in the world” ❤️??

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A post shared by Afton Williamson (@therealaftonw) on Aug 4, 2019 at 1:12am PDT

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