Umbrella Academy Netflix Showrunner Accused Of Horrific Behavior By Multiple Staff
Twelve staffers from the hit Netflix series The Umbrella Academy are alleging that the show’s executive producer Steve Blackman has worked to create what they are referring to as a toxic work environment. Under the condition of anonymity, the staffers complained to the human resources department at Universal Content Productions, who handles shows for the streaming giant. The accusations against Blackman range from bullying and manipulative behavior to retaliation and sexism.
Anonymous Complaints, And One Not So Anonymous
One of Blackman’s accusers states that she was fired after the first season of The Umbrella Academy because she got pregnant. This assertion was backed up by another accuser, who claims that Blackman told her that the termination was due to her pregnancy.
Others have claimed that Blackman has used language that is homophobic and sexist in the presence of staffers.
But not all of Blackman’s accusers have chosen to remain anonymous. Jesse McKeown, a fellow showrunner for The Umbrella Academy‘s fourth season, claimed that he was retaliated against when he sided with one of the show’s writers over a pay dispute.
According to McKeown, the incident resulted in his hand in the series being severely limited, a vengeful move that he noted was typical of Blackman.
Fired Or Demoted
Aside from McKeown, four other staffers from The Umbrella Academy have made similar claims to his own. Some allege that their hands in the show became more limited, while others maintain that they lost their positions entirely when they attracted the ire of Blackman.
McKeown asserts that, aside from his own experiences with Blackman, that he has personally witnessed the producer’s ill treatment of others associated with the series.
Sexism
Aeryn Michelle Williams, who wrote for The Umbrella Academy for the second through fourth seasons, described the workplace as “chaotic” and certainly one that was “toxic.”
This coincides with other assertions that Blackman treats female writers and staffers with a level of hostility that their male counterparts never have to fully endure. One anonymous female writer claims that women were all treated “with hostility or like you were stupid.”
Blackman Denies It All
Blackman has denied any claims made against him by current and former staffers on The Umbrella Academy. Through a representative, Blackman maintains that the allegations are entirely false and are sourced from a handful of “disgruntled employees.”
To aid his claim, Blackman gave three sources that have worked very closely with the showrunner over the years and refuted any of the charges made against him.
UCP
Blackman’s representative also pointed out that over the six-year time frame in producing The Umbrella Academy, Blackman has worked with thousands of staffers, actors, crew members, and others associated with the series.
This further pushes the showrunner’s defense of how a mere handful of unhappy workers are acting out of anger and making accusations that are “completely false and outrageous.”
UCP conducted its own investigation into Blackman at the beginning of 2023 and concluded that Blackman hadn’t committed any wrongdoing. But of the 12 current staffers that have come forward with allegations, only a handful were ever interviewed by UCP.
The fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy will debut August 8 on Netflix.
Source: Rolling Stone
