Afton Williamson became known, among other things, for her role as Police Officer Talia Bishop in the crime comedy The Rookie. Talia Bishop served as main character John Nolan’s instructor in Season 1 – a hugely important role in the series. But Williamson decided to leave the series after the first season. So she can only be seen in 20 episodes.
In the first episode of Season 2, it is revealed that Williamson’s character has left the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) behind. She became a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
But what were the reasons for the exit? Afton Williamson’s departure resulted in a dirty mudslinging. She revealed many details to the public about the causes and consequences of her decision. We’ll give you the ultimate explanation of what happened.
You will find out in this article:
Why Afton Williamson left The Rookie after just one season
Afton Williamson spoke openly about her exit on her Instagram account. According to her, there were several reasons why she left the series:
During the filming of the pilot I experienced Racial discrimination and racially charged, inappropriate comments from the hair department and mobbing by the executive producers. Things continued during the season sexual harassment by a recurring guest star, Demetrius Grosse, and the racist comments and bullying by the head of the hair department, Sally Ciganovich, escalated sexual assaults at our graduation party.
The alleged sexual harassment by Demetrius Grosse is particularly surprising. This is an actor colleague of Afton Williamson: He played Kevin Wolfe in The Rookie, a detective in the LAPD.
Like Afton Williamson, Demetrius Grosse was no longer seen after season 1. Williamson was even offered the chance to continue appearing in season 2. But she rejected this offer.
Afton Williamson’s allegations were not taken seriously
According to Williamson, the producers responsible did not adequately comply with the clarification. The complaints were taken up by showrunner Alexi Hawley, but not reported to the human resources department.
The actress was also dissatisfied with the terms of Sally Ciganovich’s dismissal – Ciganovich is said to have made racist comments. She is also said to have committed a sexual assault, but the production team only cited the assault as the reason for her dismissal. The racism that Williamson is said to have endured for a year did not play a role.
Also exciting:
The dismissal was followed by a complaint of sexual harassment against Williamson’s colleague Demetrius Grosse. She is said to have been assured that Grosse would be fired during the first season. But the Those responsible did not keep their promise: Grosse continued to come to set normally and Afton Williamson even had to film scenes with him.
This is how the dispute with the production company ended
Afton Williamson stood by her allegations. The responsible production company at Entertainment One had her allegations examined by an uninvolved institution, with approx. 400 hours of video materialincluding various interviews, were examined.
In September 2019, the company concluded that it no evidence to support the allegations by Afton Williamson. The independent investigation revealed no evidence of illegal behavior. Showrunner Alexi Hawley, who Williamson said did not forward the complaints, also acted fairly and appropriately.
The Rookie – S01 Trailer (English) HD
Williamson then responded again with a message on her Instagram account:
It’s heartbreaking for everyone on set, past and present. And for every actor out there who stands up against harassment and discrimination, attacks and injustice. As a Black woman, as an artist, as an actress, in 2019. Telling the truth, standing up for myself, and leaving an unsafe work environment changed things for many people.Is an Afton Williamson return possible?
Afton Williamson is not idle. After her exit from The Rookie, she appeared in the Netflix film Otherhood (2019) and in the crime drama Still Here (2020). There are currently no known projects that she is involved in. That’s why she would have enough time to play on The Rookie again – theoretically.
However, we don’t expect to see Williamson in The Rookie ever again. There is no sign that she trusts those in charge of The Rookie again. And showrunner Alexi Hawley is still one of the people responsible for the series. He was the person by whom Williamson did not feel taken seriously and who is said not to have forwarded her complaints.