CW President On Andrew Kreisberg & Robert Knepper Allegations: “Sexual Harassment And Misconduct Should Not Be Tolerated” – TCA
Rex/ShutterstockTwo of the prominent men implicated in the current sexual misconduct reckoning in Ho..
Rex/ShutterstockTwo of the prominent men implicated in the current sexual misconduct reckoning in Hollywood are top TV showrunner Andrew Kreisberg, executive producer on four CW’s DC series, and actor Robert Knepper, co-star of the network’s drama iZombie.
Kreisberg, co-creator/exec producer of The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and Arrow, was first suspended and then fired following an investigation by producer Warner Bros. TV into allegations of sexual harassment behavior while he worked on the CW shows. Meanwhile, Knepper, who is a series regular on the CW/WBTV drama iZombie, also was investigated by the studio following claims of sexual misconduct stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred years and decades before he joined the show. Knepper was allowed to stay on iZombie after the inquiry found “no evidence of wrongdoing on the set of the show.”
At TCA, Deadline asked the CW President Mark Pedowitz to comment on the allegations against Kresiberg and Knepper.
“Sexual harassment and sexual misconduct should not be tolerated, that’s first and foremost,” Pedowitz said. “People should be able to work in an environment where they are heard, listened and respected. Should a complaint come forward like it did here, it needs to be investigated and, if the investigation shows something, all action should be taken against that individual. Sexual harassment and misconduct do not belong in any place in any industry anywhere. If you work for the CW, if you work at the CW, you have to hear that if you have an issue you have to feel comfortable coming forward.”
Specifically regarding Kreisberg, who was a key auspice on the CW’s highest rated series, “when I heard about Andrew from the studio, they were in the midst of the investigation. I support what the studio did in that particular case,” Pedowitz said.
Pedowitz noted that the allegations against Knepper also were investigated by WBTV “with regards to the series he is working on,” iZombie. “That investigation followed the same way that Andrew’s did, different result,” Pedowitz said, noting that there were no issues found on iZombie, with all accusations against the Prison Break alum related to prior behavior. “I support my studio partners, and we are all in the same place that this stuff cannot be tolerated.”
Pedowitz would not comment on Knepper’s future on iZombie, where he has been recurring since Season 1 and was promoted to a regular this past summer.
“Robert has a short-term deal with us, we’ll see where we go from there,” Pedowitz said.
