After actor Orlando Jones was unceremoniously fired from the Starz series American Gods, the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced Friday that it is launching an investigation.
Along with a probe into the dismissal of why Gabrielle Union was reportedly fired from America’s Got Talent, SAG-AFTRA said it plans to explore Jones’ claims that he was let go because of racial and political concerns.
Who's naughty? Who's nice? @sagaftra investigation announced today @itsgabrielleu you're right sis❤️ #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/I9p5tXelA6
— Orlando Jones (@TheOrlandoJones) December 20, 2019
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Jones who played Mr. Nancy, an African trickster god who gives striking commentary about America’s history of slavery and racism, said that producers were concerned about the messaging the character sent to Black Americans, USA TODAY reports.
“After initial meetings with Gabrielle Union and her representatives about her experiences on America’s Got Talent, and after learning more about Orlando Jones’s experience on American Gods, SAG-AFTRA is expanding its investigation of Fremantle Media,” a statement read. “Our enforcement actions are handled confidentially to protect the members involved, and we typically do not publicize these matters unless the affected members request that we do so.”
In response, Fremantle released a statement and said; “We welcome this investigation and intend to cooperate fully. Allegations without factual support should not go unchecked. We have already informed SAG-AFTRA that we are willing to meet to discuss the allegations.”
At issue, Jones claims that he was fired for a superficial reason and without merit.
“There will be no more Mr. Nancy. Don’t let these m*****f*****s tell you they love Mr. Nancy. They don’t,” Jones said in a video. “I’m not going to name names but the new season 3 showrunner [Charles Eglee] is Connecticut born and Yale-educated, so he’s very smart and he thinks that Mr. Nancy’s angry, get shit done is the wrong message for black America. That’s right. This white man sits in that decision-making chair and I’m sure he has many Black bffs who are his advisors and made it clear to him that if he did not get rid of that angry god Mr. Nancy he’d start a Denmark Vesey uprising in this country. I mean, what else could it be?”
READ MORE: Orlando Jones says he was fired from ‘American Gods’ for a petty, superficial reason
He also called out Fremantle saying it was a “nightmare” to work for the company.
They “treated you like a 2nd class citizen for doing your job to [sic] well,” he tweeted.
“They were exceptionally nasty and evil the way they did it,” he added.
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