“Queer for Fear” executive producer Bryan Fuller has been sued for alleged sexual harassment and sexual assault on the set of the 2021 Shudder docuseries. An attorney for the “Hannibal” creator said he intends to countersue for defamation and malicious prosecution.
Sam Wineman, a producer on the series about the history of LGBTQ characters and actors in horror movies, claimed that from 2020 to 2022, Fuller “cultivated and maintained a hostile work environment” that included “harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation.”
In Wineman’s suit, which filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court, he alleged that “Mr. Fuller sexually assaulted plaintiff several times” throughout the production of the series. AMC Networks, its horror streaming site Shudder and Steakhaus Productions are also named in the suit, which was filed by Good Gustafson Aumais LLP of Los Angeles.
The suit also claims that Wineman was subjected to “workplace bullying, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation,” which was was “pervasive.”
“Make no mistake, Sam Wineman will be sued for defamation based on what are 100 percent probably false statements,” Fuller’s lawyer Bryan Freedman told Deadline on Thursday.
“Queer for Fear” includes interviews with “Haunted Mansion” director Justin Simien, “Yellowjackets” star Liv Hewson and “Carrie” director Kimberly Peirce. It won best TV documentary or documentary series and best LGBTQ documentary or documentary series at the Dorian Awards in June.
In addition to “Hannibal” and “Queer for Fear,” Fuller has created a number of television series with a fantasy or supernatural element, including “Dead Like Me,” “Wonderfalls,” “Pushing Daisies” and “American Gods.”
He was also a writer and executive producer on the “Star Trek” series “Voyager” and “Deep Space Nine” and went on to co-create “Star Trek: Discovery” on Paramount+.
TheWrap has reached out to Fuller for comment. An AMC spokesperson said that the company was reviewing the complaint and did not have an immediate comment.
Deadline first reported this story.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
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