It was announced last November that America’s Got Talent judges Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough would not be returning for the show’s 15th season.
Union revealed that her termination from the reality series was prompted due to her complaints about racial insensitivity on set as well as a toxic work environment.
The actor spoke about her experience leaving AGT during a virtual panel for the 2020 American Black Film Festival last August 23. She revealed that her exit from the show was one of the most difficult moments she’s had to deal with in her career.
Union took legal action against NBC through her legal counsel Bryan Freedman. In May, NBC announced that the network does not stand by her allegations as their investigation found there was “no racial bias.”
Freedman said in a statement that, “NBC stood against her and directed its ‘outrage’ at Ms. Union for whistleblowing about the racially offensive conduct she experienced while working for NBC on America’s Got Talent.”
While it is unfortunate that her claims were never taken seriously by the network, Union continues to strive for equality and diverse representation in media elsewhere. During her panel, she also shared about her own ambitions with her production company. She wants to provide roles “where I feel like the voices of marginalized folks have not been traditionally centered or amplified.”
POP! Creator Community / Lyshiel Aranal