‘Matlock’ Actor David Del Rio’s Firing Sparks Legal Battle With CBS Studios
#David Del Rio #Matlock #CBS Studios #Sexual Assault Allegations #Arbitration Claim #Firing #Legal Battle #Workplace Investigation
📌 Key Takeaways
- David Del Rio filed an arbitration claim against CBS Studios over his firing
- The actor claims evidence contradicting sexual assault allegations wasn't considered
- Del Rio was abruptly fired from 'Matlock' in October after an investigation
- The alleged incident involved an unnamed female cast member, likely Leah Lewis
- The show is a CBS hit averaging 16 million cross-platform viewers
📖 Full Retelling
Former 'Matlock' actor David Del Rio has initiated legal proceedings against CBS Studios, which fired him in October after he was accused of sexual assault by an unnamed female cast member. In an arbitration claim filed this week, Del Rio asserts that evidence contradicting the allegations wasn't properly considered before his termination from the legal drama series. His lawyer, Shawn Holley, stated that Del Rio will present 'real-time text communications' and other materials that 'directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue.' Del Rio, who portrayed attorney Billy Martinez on the hit show, was abruptly escorted off the set and written off the program despite having already filmed seven episodes of the second season. CBS Studios conducted an investigation into the incident involving Del Rio and a female cast member, with results corroborating the decision to terminate him. The allegations became public when cast member Leah Lewis referenced the situation on Instagram with a cryptic post about moving forward in 'strength.' Del Rio's legal team called the allegations 'false and misleading' and emphasized that the termination caused him 'substantial professional and reputational harm.' CBS Studios declined to comment on the ongoing legal dispute.
🏷️ Themes
Legal Dispute, Workplace Allegations, Entertainment Industry
📚 Related People & Topics
David Del Rio
American actor, director, and producer
David Del Rio (born September 29, 1987) is an American actor, director, and producer who has appeared in films and live productions such as Pitch Perfect and Grease Live!, and has previously directed several short films.
CBS Studios
American television production company
CBS Studios, Inc. is an American television production company which is a subsidiary of the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Skydance Corporation. It was formed on January 17, 2006, by CBS Corporation as CBS Paramount Television, as a renaming of the original incarnation of the Paramount Te...
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Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text Former Matlock actor David Del Rio has initiated legal proceedings against CBS Studios, which fired him after he was accused of sexual assault. In an arbitration claim, Del Rio says evidence that undermines the allegations wasn’t fully considered before he was terminated. He will “present real-time text communications” and other material that “directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue,” said Shawn Holley, his lawyer, in a statement issued on Wednesday. Del Rio, who played attorney Billy Martinez on the legal drama, was abruptly let go from the series following an incident involving him and an unnamed female member of the cast. CBS Studios, which produces Matlock , investigated, leading to the actor’s firing in October. He was escorted off the set and written off the show, though Del Rio had already filmed seven episodes of the second season. Related Stories TV 'Tracker,' 'Matlock' Among 10 CBS Series Pickups for 2026-27 TV 'Matlock' Boss Breaks Down Midseason Finale, Senior's Fate and Promises to Wrap Up Show's Key Scandal Matlock has been a breakout hit for CBS, averaging 16 million cross-platform viewers over 35 days in its first season. The series, a meta-update of the 1980s and ’90s show featuring Andy Griffith, stars Kathy Bates as a lawyer who restarts her career at a New York firm, Leah Lewis, Skye P. Marshall and Jason Ritter. It’s believed that the alleged assault involved Lewis. When the accusations against Del Rio surfaced last year, she nodded to the incident on Instagram. The post read, “Mom is here. We’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we’re moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Let...
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