LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Black actors and screenwriters have accused the showrunners of the hit TV show 'Lost' of fostering a "toxic" and "racist" work environment. The allegations involve showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who are accused of terminating an actor after he raised concerns related to race and making explicitly racist remarks that contributed to a harmful work environment. Both Lindelof and Cuse have denied these allegations.
'Lost', which premiered in 2004, gained immediate acclaim by portraying the struggles of plane crash survivors as they attempted to survive on a mysterious island. During its prime, the show amassed an impressive viewership of around 16 million per episode and ran for six seasons until its conclusion in 2010. However, as part of Maureen Ryan's new book 'Burn It Down', individuals involved in various roles on the show, including writers, actors, and other behind-the-scenes personnel, have come forward to disclose shocking claims of racism and abuses of power within the show.
Actor Harold Perrineau accused the show of firing him based on race
Harold Perrineau, known for his role as Michael Dawson in the first two seasons, has alleged that he was fired from the show after voicing concerns about the differential treatment of his Black character compared with the White characters. Perrineau revealed to Maureen Ryan that he had raised issues with showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse regarding his character's portrayal, which seemed to perpetuate a racial stereotype by depicting a lack of care for his son. Additionally, Perrineau expressed concerns about the narrative emphasis and screen time being primarily allocated to White characters, while cast members of color were given lesser prominence.
According to the actor, he was promptly removed from the show after these conversations took place. "I was f***** up about it. I was like, 'Oh, I just got fired, I think'," Perrineau told Ryan, according to Daily Mail. Perrineau claims that the response from Carlton Cuse was, "'Well, you said you don’t have enough work here, so we’re letting you go'." "It was all very much, 'How dare you?'" he recalled.
'I’ve never heard that much racist commentary'
In an interview with Vanity Fair Cuse stated that he refutes the allegations made against him. Furthermore, multiple sources have asserted that they overheard Damon Lindelof, the other showrunner, making a statement along the lines of Perrineau, accusing him of being racist and subsequently being fired as a result.
One of the individuals who witnessed the alleged statement made by Damon Lindelof was Monica Owusu-Breen, who was a member of the writers' room during that time. "Everyone laughed" when Lindelof said that, Owusu-Breen recalled to Ryan. "There was so much s**t, and so much racist s**t, and then laughter. It was ugly." "I can only describe it as hazing. It was very much middle school and relentlessly cruel. And I’ve never heard that much racist commentary in one room in my career," Owusu-Breen said.
Owusu-Breen recounted several incidents she heard during her time at 'Lost'. One such incident involved a staff member discussing the adoption of an Asian child, during which someone allegedly made a derogatory comment to another writer about "no grandparent wanting a slanty-eyed grandchild." Another incident involved a picture of actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje placed on the writers' room table, where someone reportedly told another person to remove their nearby wallet "before he steals it."
'Everyone knew it was a toxic work environment'
During a van ride on a trip, when Owusu-Breen and others were discussing luggage, one writer reportedly used a Yiddish word in response, which was seen as derogatory and offensive. "Let the schvartze take it. You could tell everyone knew it was a toxic work environment. But it was a huge hit," she explained. The only Asian American writer was said to be called Korean, as in, "Korean, take the board."
Statement by Damon Lindelof
In response to the allegations of the toxic set, Lindelof said, "My level of fundamental inexperience as a manager and a boss, my role as someone who was supposed to model a climate of creative danger and risk-taking but provide safety and comfort inside of the creative process—I failed in that endeavor. [T]alking about the human effect of being the only woman or the only person of color and how you are treated and othered — I was a part of that, a thousand percent," he added.
Lindelof stated that he has no recollection of ever saying that Harold Perrineau was fired for accusing him of being racist. He acknowledged that the events being described took place 17 years ago and expressed confusion as to why someone would fabricate such claims about him. Lindelof claimed to have no knowledge of the other allegations raised and expressed shock upon hearing them. Similarly, Cuse denied making or being aware of the comments alleged to have occurred on the set of 'Lost'.
In a statement submitted to Ryan through a PR representative, Lindelof said, "I deeply regret that anyone at Lost would have to hear them. They are highly insensitive, inappropriate, and offensive."
