NeNe Leakes has filed a lawsuit against Bravo, Andy Cohen, production companies True Entertainment and Truly Original for a hostile and racist work environment. According to The AP, NeNe has alleged that her complaints of racism led to her being forced off of the show in 2020.
NeNe also claimed that she complained to producers for years about racist remarks from co-star Kim Zolciak Biermann for nine years and they instead of taking action against Kim, they retaliated against NeNe and forced her off of the show.
NeNe's lawyer David DeRubertis said in a statement, “From the day the series began filming, NeNe was the target of systemic racism from co-star Kim Zolciak-Biermann, which was tolerated by Bravo executive producer #AndyCohen and other executives.”
DeRubertis continued, “As the Black Lives Matter movement swept our nation, Mrs. Leakes — Bravo’s historically most successful Black female talent — should have been embraced by NBC, Bravo, and True.Instead, NBC, Bravo, and True forced her out of the ‘house she built,’ denying her a regular role.”
The suit goes on to allege that the defendants’ actions violate federal employment and anti-discrimination law, which is why they are seeking monetary damages to be determined at trial.