Bryan Fuller, the creator of shows including “Hannibal” and “American Gods,” was accused in a lawsuit on Wednesday of sexually harassing a fellow producer on an AMC docuseries about queer horror.
Fuller is accused of making constant references to masturbation, engaging in casual bullying and creating a hostile work environment. The plaintiff, Sam Wineman, also alleges that Fuller repeatedly held him from behind to “crack his back” while pressing his penis against Wineman’s buttocks.
Fuller and Wineman are both gay. They worked together on the series Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror, a four-part docuseries that was released on AMC’s Shudder streaming service in 2022.
Wineman claims he was removed from the project in August 2021, about four weeks after complaining about Fuller’s behaviour.
According to the lawsuit, Fuller made numerous references to his penis, talked about what reading material gave him erections, and talked about “jerking off” to the power dynamics between adults and children in the stories. The lawsuit also alleges that Fuller left lubricant and rolled up tissues on his desk so that Wineman would know he was masturbating.
Fuller also allegedly made bullying comments about Wineman, saying he was “weak”, lacked charisma and was “drier than NPR”.
The lawsuit alleges that the executive producers coddled Fuller and protected him from consequences, saying he was “the money” and “we have to keep the money happy”.
AMC said it was reviewing the lawsuit and declined to comment.
The lawsuit was first reported by Deadline. Bryan Freedman, Fuller’s attorney, told the outlet that the allegations are “fictitious” and “absolute garbage” and that Wineman was fired for “gross incompetence”.
“Sam Wineman just made the biggest mistake of his life, and once the evidence comes out, he will forever be known as a pathological liar,” Freedman told Deadline.
Wineman wrote and directed The Quiet Room, a horror short film that screened at Outfest in 2018. Fuller won an Outfest Achievement Award in 2017. In his acceptance speech, he outed Thomas Dekker, a star of NBC’s Heroes.
