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Afton Williamson Identifies The Rookie Guest Star Who Allegedly Sexually Harassed Her

An investigation is underway

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Amanda Bell

Update 8/6/19 8:45 a.m. ET: Afton Williamson has identified the two individuals responsible for allegedly sexually harassing and bullying her on the set of The Rookie's first season. In a lengthy new Instagram update, the actress named actor Demetrius Grosse as the guest star she accused of sexually harassing her. Grosse appeared as Det. Kevin Wolfe in several episodes of The Rookie Season 1.

Williamson also named Sallie Nicole Ciganovich as the head of the hair department who was responsible for the alleged racist comments and bullying.

"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," the actress wrote in an Instagram caption.

Representatives for Grosse and Ciganovich did not immediately respond to TV Guide's request for comment.

View this post on Instagram

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


Update 8/5/19 2:08 p.m. ET: ABC President Karey Burke has addressed Afton Williamson's allegations of racism, bullying, and sexual discrimination on the set of The Rookie.

"I learned alongside my colleagues at the end of June that there were allegations," Burke said Monday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. "I'm waiting for the results of that investigation just as you are to get more answers."

"I can trust the investigation because it's being done by a third party," said Burke. "The production company hired an independent third party to do the investigation, so I'm hopeful that those results will be independent and trustworthy and anticipate that they will be. And at that time those answers and those conclusions will help guide us about how to handle situations like that in the future and if in fact there has been any kind of communication breakdown."

"We have an HR partner that is available to every one of our shows," Burke added, "and I would hope that if there were any ongoing situation that someone on that set would feel comfortable going to the HR partner on that show.

When asked if ABC would be prepared to cancel the show or take another decisive action if the investigation has merit, Burke said declined to speculate. "I wish I could comment on that. I wish I had more answers," she said. "I am frustrated. I know this is frustrating for you, too. I can tell you that as soon as I know more, we will make a determination based on what is found out. Right now just too much is unknown. It would be irresponsible of me to conjecture."


Update 8/4/19 8:25 p.m. ET: ABC Studios released a statement in response to Afton Williamson's allegations on Sunday evening which read: "The allegations involve a production from Entertainment One. In late June, eOne made us aware and informed us that they launched an investigation that is ongoing. The safety of working environments is a top priority for us, and we take this matter very seriously."

In a separate statement released on Sunday, eOne said, ""We take claims of this nature very seriously. We have initiated an independent investigation which is ongoing and as such, it would not be appropriate to comment at this time."

The original story below.


Earlier 8/4/19: When The Rookie returns to ABC this fall for Season 2, actress Afton Williamson will no longer be a part of the action, and the actress is now ready to talk about the reasons she walked away from the crime drama.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Williamson revealed that she decided not to accept an offer to return to the series after several complaints she made about colleagues' behavior on set went unaddressed. "I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie," she wrote Sunday morning. "I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth."

Williamson's allegations involved racist comments and bullying, as well as a sexual harassment claim against one of her (as-yet-unnamed) co-stars in the series. Williamson said the first incident involved a member of the hair department. "Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers," wrote Williamson. "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."

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Williamson revealed that she reported the assault directly to series' showrunner Alexi Hawley, but that it "remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised." Per Williamson, the hair department employee who was responsible for the offensive comments was fired only after her sexual assault claim came to light, "and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer." Williamson alleges that human resources protocol was not followed in addressing those concerns, and an investigation was not opened.

An investigation was opened, however, after she called for a meeting after Season 2 was announced. "The only time I was asked to participate in an investigation was after a meeting I called in June following our Season 2 announcement," she wrote. "This meeting included the Showrunner and two other producers as well as my agent and SAG-AFTRA Union Rep. It was clear to all present in the meeting that the Showrunner had not shared my reports with the any of the producers."

The actress also claims that she was forced to work with a co-star who'd sexually harassed her, even after reporting it, and that she was misled about that actor's future with the show.

"After my initial report of sexual harassment, I was assured that the actor would be fired. I was also asked to film with him the very next day as a courtesy to the script, even though we had not begun filming the episode yet," Williamson wrote. "This actor reappeared on our call sheet at the end of the season, I was even written in scenes with him. I asked the Showrunner about this and he admitted to me that the actor had not been fired nor had he gotten HR involved. I was asked to return this season, and promised that 'everything was handled.' The investigation hadn't even begun and Season 2 had already started filming. I turned it down and I walked."

ABC didn't not immediately return TV Guide's request for comment.

View this post on Instagram

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. The Hair Dept. Head was fired ONLY after the sexual assault and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer. HR protocol was never adhered to following the above reports given by me to my Showrunner/EP and an investigation was never issued for any of my claims. The only time I was asked to participate in an investigation was after a meeting I called in June following our Season 2 announcement. This meeting included the Showrunner and two other producers as well as my agent and SAG-AFTRA Union Rep. It was clear to all present in the meeting that the Showrunner had not shared my reports with the any of the producers. After my initial report of sexual harassment, I was assured that the actor would be fired. I was also asked to film with him the very next day as a courtesy to the script, even though we had not begun filming the episode yet. This actor reappeared on our call sheet at the end of the season, I was even written in scenes with him. I asked the Showrunner about this and he admitted to me that the actor had not been fired nor had he gotten HR involved. I was asked to return this season, and promised that "everything was handled." The investigation hadn't even begun and Season 2 had already started filming. I turned it down and I walked. Now is the best time in the world to be a woman and I have a platform so it's time to use my Voice. Strength comes from within. It comes from Above. "Greater is He that is within Me than he that is in the world" ❤️🙏🏽

A post shared by Afton Williamson (@therealaftonw) on

The Rookie Season 2 premieres on ABC on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 10/9c.