Last Friday night, Variety reported that Warner Bros. TV has launched an investigation into Arrow-verse showrunner Andrew Kreisberg. 15 women and 4 men who work or worked under Kreisberg accuse him of sexual harassment and inappropriate physical contact over a period of years. While no one is named in the Variety article, the harassment allegations appear to be about Kreisberg’s behaviour in the writers’ rooms in Los Angeles where he is based but could extend to Vancouver where the shows are filmed. Warner Bros. TV has suspended him.
Kreisberg, Marc Guggenheim and Greg Berlanti created Arrow in 2012 based on the DC Comic character Green Arrow. Kreisberg went on to be showrunner on The Flash. And then Supergirl. Phil Klemmer is the showrunner on Legends of Tomorrow but Kreisberg is one of the big bosses for all four shows under Berlanti.
Among the allegations in the article, one male writer says Kreisberg asked him to come into his office to see topless footage of a woman expected to audition later that day. This is thought to be Melissa Benoist who was cast as the lead in Supergirl — Benoist had one topless scene in the Showtime series Homeland.
Melissa Benoist was one of the first to make a public comment, sharing this on Sunday.
Arrow’s Emily Bett Rickards tweeted a statement not long after.
Legends of Tomorrow’s Caity Lotz followed.
To the brave women and men who are coming forward to condemn their abusers… I add my voice to the choir of support. You are the ones ushering in change that would allow all of us to work in an environment where we are respected and safe
— Caity Lotz
Stephen Amell waited to speak with Arrow cast and crew in Vancouver before posting a Facebook video late Monday.
Our biggest asset on Arrow is our crew and furthermore their biggest strength and our biggest strength is working on it as a team. I think that we can do this because we promote and we champion a safe and progressive work environment. I told them this morning and I tell you now and I meant it, that if anyone ever feels anything less than 100 percent safe or anyone feels as though they aren’t allowed to express themselves and be the person that they are, that they should come to whomever they’re supposed to go to and I’ll stand right beside them, right behind them, I’ll speak on their behalf if need be.
I also think that in situations like this, if you’re not an active part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem period. We do our best to have the best possible work environment. We will continue to do so. I echo the statements made by my friend and coworker Emily Bett Rickards, Caity Lotz, Melissa Benoist and the course of others that have come forward and called for a safe, progressive, equal working environment.
And early today, The Flash’s Grant Gustin expressed his support for women who speak up, calling them “the real superheroes”.
Other cast and crew have made similar statements on social media.
Chyler Leigh.
Legends of Tomorrow writers’ room.
Kreisberg’s fellow exec producer Marc Guggenheim went another way, but his tweet is not in reference to his colleague.
Sorry, but NO. Reverse sexism isn’t the answer. Painting all men with the Weinstein brush isn’t the answer. https://t.co/Gp1QLKwoXN
— Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) November 12, 2017