Afton Williamson calls out ‘The Rookie” co-star she alleges sexually harassed her

Afton Williamson says the man who sexually harassed on the set The Rookie is Demetrius Grosse.

Aug 6, 2019
Afton Williamson
Afton Williamson attends Disney ABC Television Hosts TCA Winter Press Tour 2019 on February 05, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Getty Images)

An actor who has played in Straight Outta Compton, has been named by Afton Williamson as the man who allegedly sexually harassed her on set while working on ABC’s “The Rookie.”

As previously reported, Williamson accused Hollywood execs of racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and assault, which led her to quit the show.

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She took to Instagram Sunday, and alleged that she was victimized by executive producers of the ABC drama series and the show’s hair department worker, citing they made “racially charged inappropriate comments.”

She explicitly named fellow actor, Demetrius Grosse, who was recently cast in the 2018 movie, Love Jacked as the person who sexually harassed her. Plus, pointed to the Hair Department Head Sally Nicole Ciganovich, as the person who allegedly sexually assaulted her, Variety reports.

“This season on ‘The Rookie,’ I was sexually harassed by fellow actor Demetrius Grosse. I was Racially Bullied and Discriminated against and Sexually Assaulted by Hair Department Head Sally Nicole Ciganovich,” Williamson said in a new Instagram post published Monday evening.

But she also has outright named a fellow actor, Demetrius Grosse, who was recently cast in the 2018 movie, Love Jacked, and ABC’s The Rookie, and Hair Department Head Sally Nicole Ciganovich, claiming s series of sexual harassment and bullying, Variety reports.

“This season on ‘The Rookie,’ I was sexually harassed by fellow actor Demetrius Grosse. I was Racially Bullied and Discriminated against and Sexually Assaulted by Hair Department Head Sally Nicole Ciganovich,” Williamson said in a new Instagram post published Monday evening.

 

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To my Fans, my Friends, my Supporters: I want to Thank EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. I am so beyond overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, kind words, scriptures, strength filled quotes and devout support that has come my way. One Instagram post is just like those 2 fish and 5 loaves of Bread. The rippling effect it has had in just a few hours shows how much this world is aching with victims of racism, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse all of it. I am no stranger to all of the above even before this experience. But it is through this experience and my platform that God pushed me to use the power within me. It just takes a VOICE. I never imagined so many of us have experienced these horrible circumstances and that can NO LONGER GO UNHEARD. We have a voice. ALL OF US. It is our DUTY to use it. I used to fear the word Victim. I scoffed at it because all I was told when these injustices happened to me, was to Survive. Survivor I am. Victim I am also. A victim of injustice. A victim of assault. A victim of abuse and harassment. If you have experienced any of the above, you are too and I for one stand with you and I’m no longer afraid to be vocal about it. We Can Stand Together. Let’s Change This Sickness. That Change starts with US. This season on The Rookie, I was sexually harassed by fellow actor Demetrius Grosse. I was Racially Bullied and Discriminated against and Sexually Assaulted by Hair Department Head Sally Nicole Ciganovich. Let’s BE the CHANGE we WANT to SEE❤️????

A post shared by Afton Williamson (@therealaftonw) on

Williamson posted a lengthy post to her fans over the weekend saying that she would not be returning to Season 2 of the show because of the sexual harassment she has experienced.

“I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie. I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth. Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers. During the Season, it continued along with Sexual Harassment from a recurring guest star and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept. Head escalated into Sexual Assault at our Wrap party.The Sexual Harassment though reported directly to the Showrunner/EP remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised,” she wrote.

Williamson said she experienced “outward racism” and “bullying behavior” that escalated to sexual assault at the show’s wrap party, NBC News reported.

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The actress alleges she reported her complaints to the series showrunner, but they weren’t investigated. However, Williamson confirmed that after the alleged assault, the hair department worker was fired.

On Monday morning, during the ABC Television Critics Association summer press tour president Karey Burke said the network was “waiting for the results of that investigation” before deciding on a course of action.

“At that time, those answers and those conclusions will help guide us about how to handle those situations in the future, if in fact there has been some sort of communication breakdown. I don’t have any more answers than that right now,” Burke said.

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