HBO Halts Production on Watergate Series ‘White House Plumbers’ After Reports of ‘Unprofessional Behavior on the Set’

An altercation reportedly occurred between director David Mandel and a props department staffer

HBO has halted production on its Watergate limited series “White House Plumbers” to investigate reports of “alleged unprofessional behavior” on the set.

“HBO has received reports of alleged unprofessional behavior on the set of ‘White House Plumbers,’” the network said in a statement Friday. “We take very seriously our responsibility to ensure a respectful work environment on all our productions, and we are investigating the matter fully.”

HBO did not comment any further.

Deadline, which first reported the production pause, cited unnamed sources who said the alleged behavior centered on an altercation between director and executive producer David Mandel and a member of the props department that occurred on Wednesday.

It is unclear how long production, which is taking place in New York, will be paused.

Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux star in the series, the second TV show based on the Watergate Scandal alongside Starz’s “Gaslit.” The series sees the duo star as E. Howard Hunt (Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Theroux), the masterminds of the Watergate break-in that ended Richard Nixon’s presidency.

“The White House Plumbers” tells the true story of how Nixon’s own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds accidentally toppled the presidency that they were zealously trying to protect.

It is based in part on public records and the book “Integrity” by Egil “Bud” Krogh and Matthew Krogh.

The series is from co-creators Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, with Mandel as the director and executive producer. It is a co-production with former ABC Entertainment president Paul Lee’s wiip, who will also executive produce with Nne Ebong. “Venom” and “Zombieland” director Ruben Fleischer and his The District production company is also involved; he and David Bernad will serve as executive producers.

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