Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse accused of creating a toxic environment on the set of LOST

It took a lot of people to create the hit series Lostwhich ran over 119 episodes from 2004 to 2010. It was a television phenomenon that still has a huge fan base, but according to some new allegations, the show wasn’t nearly as fun to make as it was to watch.

According to a new book by Maureen Ryan titled Burn It Down, power, complicity and a call for change in Hollywoodexecutive producers Damon Lindelof AND Carlton Cuse maintained a culture of toxicity on ABC’s hit drama.

In an excerpt from the book, Ryan interviews several people from the long-running drama. Those who spoke on the record, including the writer Monica Owusu-Breenhe recalled an environment full of bullying and inappropriate comments about race.

Owusu-Breen, who worked on the third season of Lost, said:

“All I wanted to do was write some really great episodes of a great show. It was impossible for that staff. There was no way to navigate that situation. Part of it was that they really didn’t like their characters of color. When you have to go home and cry for an hour before you can see your kids because you have to get rid of all the stress you’ve been holding, you won’t write anything good after that.

When asked to respond to allegations of bullying and racism, Lindelof told Ryan:

“My level of fundamental inexperience as a manager and boss, my role as someone who was supposed to shape a climate of creative danger and risk-taking but provide safety and comfort within the creative process, I failed at that endeavor” .

Yes, that sounds like a huge understatement. Actor Harold Perrineau, who played Michael Dawson, told Ryan that he was written off the show in season 2 after he expressed concerns about his character’s arc. Perrineau was particularly upset by the way Michael seemed unconcerned about the whereabouts of his son Walt after the boy was kidnapped by the Others in Season 2.

Perrineau said of the incident:

“I can’t be another person who doesn’t care about missing black kids, even in the context of fiction, right? This is just furthering the narrative that nobody cares about Black boys, not even Black fathers.

The actor acknowledged that it would have been difficult to raise the issue with Lindelof and Cuse.

“That was the thing that was always tricky. Whenever you talk about race, everyone catches fire, their hair is on fire and they’re like, ‘I’m not a racist!’ Perrineau said in the book. “It’s like, ‘Nope. Because I say I’m black doesn’t mean I’m calling you a racist. I’m talking to you from my point of view. I’ve been very clear that I’m not trying to unload my trauma on you, but I’m trying to talk to you about how I feel. So can we do it? Can we just have that conversation?’”

Several sources have told Ryan that when Perrineau’s Lost departure came, Lindelof said the actor “called me a racist, so I fired his ass.”

“Everyone laughed” when Lindelof said this, Owusu-Breen reminded Ryan. “There was so much shit, and so much racist shit, and then laughter. It was bad. I was like, ‘I don’t know if they take this as a joke or if they mean it.’ But it wasn’t funny. Saying that was awful. He started leaving the room when he couldn’t take it anymore: “I’m like, once you’re done talking shit about black people, I’ll be back.”

When asked about the incident involving Perrineau, Lindelof said: “What can I say? Except it breaks my heart that that was Harold’s experience. He didn’t remember “ever” saying those words about Perrineau. “And I admit that the events you’re describing happened 17 years ago, and I don’t know why anyone would make anything up about me.”

Owusu-Breen also recalled how she and her writing partner were tasked with killing Mr. Eko, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. The actor wanted to leave the show and was eventually killed by Smoke Monster in Season 3, although Cuse wished aloud for a different ending.

“Carlton said something like, ‘I want to hang him from the tallest tree. God, if only we could cut his dick off and shove it down his throat,’” Owusu-Breen recalled. “At that point I said, ‘You might want to tone down the lynching image, so you don’t get offended.’ And I was very clearly angry.

Cuse responded to Ryan saying, “I have never, ever made that statement above, and this exchange never happened. Adding further to this lie and suggesting someone was fired because of a statement I never made is completely untrue,” adding that the implication is “completely outrageous.”

This is all awful, and it’s the kind of thing I hope will never be tolerated again. You can read the full story in the book linked above, out June 6.

via: Deadline