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Writers Accuse Showrunner Steve Blackman of Fostering A “Toxic” Work Environment
Rolling Stone recently published a fantastic report that told how 12 former ‘Umbrella Academy’ writers and staffers have come forward with complaints of a toxic work environment.
According to them, Blackman made working on the set of the Netflix show a misery, with one going as far as to claim that they were warned not to take the job.
“When we feel like one person holds the keys to our career, it’s hard,” one support staffer said. “They’re saying, ‘Hey, write these scenes,’ and making all these big promises, and you pour everything you have into the job only to be discarded after. It’s just devastating.”
In addition to this, a HR complaint filed in January 2023, described Blackman as displaying “toxic, bullying, manipulative, and retaliatory behavior” during shoot.
Some of these accusations against him ranged from his irrational and unreasonable need to pit staffers against one another, creating a work environment where there is fear and a lack of trust.
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He was also accused of taking credit for other people’s work and not appreciating the writers and staffers enough.
That same 2023, an investigation launched by UCP cleared him of any wrongdoing. The UCP statement described the company’s environment as safe and respectful after promptly reviewing, thoroughly investigating, and taking appropriate action.
However, many quickly came forward to say that they were not contacted prior to the investigation and that their opinions were not sought.
What ‘Umbrella Academy’ Writers Have To Say About Steve Blackman
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In their report, Rolling Stone noted that one writer got his work cut just because he expressed to Steve how harsher he was in his criticism of female writers.
The person said, “You have to tread carefully with Steve because there have been times when people stand up to him and then their status is diminished or they are taken off the show. If you push back, he’s going to punish you for it.”
The co-showrunner of season 4, Jesse McKeown, also claimed that he endured harsh treatments from Blackman.
He said: “I always sort of carried that around thinking, ‘OK, that was clear retaliation, [but] he would never do that to me.’ It happened to me eventually, and a whole bunch of other people in between.”
Aeryn Michelle Williams, who worked on seasons 2 to 4 of the show, described the workplace as “sometimes chaotic” and sexist. She recalled: “I found it to be an incredibly sexist environment. If you were female, you were treated with hostility, or like you were stupid.” Blackman has so far refuted these claims.
Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Steve Blackman right now. Come back here often for all Steve Blackman spoilers, news, and updates.
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