Gabrielle Union is reportedly set to meet with attorneys hired by NBC this week in the aftermath of her controversial departure from America’s Got Talent‘s judging panel. Deadline reports that the actress is scheduled to sit down with external counsel the network has retained to mediate the issue. However, a source from the Being Mary Jane actress’s camp has said the meeting with the legal team does not mean that she will return to the show.
According to the insider, Gabrielle’s goal is to help address some of the “toxicity” that she observed during her season-long stint on the popular TV talent show.
“She wants to help fix that, because she loved a lot of her time on the show last season, even with the issues with Simon and what have you,” the insider said.
“But she could never go back, even if they did a 360 and asked her to for another season, no.”
According to Deadline, Gabrielle has not directly spoken to NBC about her complaints thus far. She was reportedly previously told by co-judge and AGT executive producer Simon Cowell that she should bring her concerns to him instead of anyone in authority at the network.
As The Inquisitr reported, Gabrielle allegedly complained to producers about a joke that guest-judge Jay Leno made about Korean contestants during one episode. She was also reportedly told that her hairstyles were “too black” for the show’s audience.
There’s no confirmation yet whether any representatives from NBC besides legal counsel will be present at the meeting with Gabrielle. The actress’s powerhouse attorney Bryan Freedman will likely be there with her. He successfully negotiated Megyn Kelly’s contentious departure from NBC in 2018.
The news of Gabrielle’s reported complaints has led to an outpouring of support for her on social media from fans and celebrities alike. While responding to the story on his Sirius XM show, former AGT judge Howard Stern also publicly slammed Simon Cowell for encouraging a “boy’s club” on set.
Simon’s production company Syco Entertainment recently released a joint statement with NBC and British co-producer Freemantle that addressed the fallout from Gabrielle’s alleged firing.
“We remain committed to ensuring a respectful workplace for all employees and take very seriously any questions about workplace culture.” the statement reads.
Their press statement went on to say that they’re “working with” the LA’s Most Wanted actress’ representation to gain more insight into her complaints about the work culture at AGT. They also committed to take any action they deem appropriate as a result of their discussions with her team.
Besides expressing gratitude for the support she has received in the wake of the controversy, Gabrielle has not directly spoken out about her purported complaints about AGT.
