Assistant To Filmmaker Sues Film Production Company, Alleging Racial Discrimination

Whether or not you like the style of action-packed dramas about the criminal underworld that Randall Emmett and his film production companies produce is a matter of personal taste, but everyone can agree that he has been successful at getting a large number of films out of development and onto the silver screen.  He has contributed to dozens of films, either in the role of producer or executive producer, and some of these have coincided with his career as a professional poker player.  He has built strong relationships with business partners, first teaming up with George Furla to found the company Emmett/Furla Films and eventually joining the Dubai-based company Oasis films to form Emmett Furla Oasis Films.  More recently, Emmett has produced the show Power, starring Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and directed the action film Midnight in the Switchgrass.  Treating employees fairly, however, does not appear to be Emmett’s strong suit.  Earlier this year, actresses who had auditioned for Emmett’s films alleged, in an article in Vanity Fair, that he offered them film roles in exchange for sex; in legal terms, this is called quid pro quo sexual harassment.  This month, a man who worked as a production assistant to Emmett filed a lawsuit alleging that the producer subjected him to unfair working conditions and discriminated against him on the basis of race and disability.  If you have experienced employment discrimination while working in the entertainment industry, contact a Los Angeles discrimination and harassment lawyer.

The Lawsuit Against Filmmaker Randall Emmett

Martin G’Blae is a 29-year-old Black man who was hired at Emmett Furla Oasis Films in 2020 as a production assistant during the production of Midnight in the Switchgrass.  According to the lawsuit he recently filed in California, he experienced all manner of mistreatment at the hands of Emmett while working on the film.  Emmett allegedly made derogatory comments about G’Blae’s race and disability (G’Blae has ADHD) in the presence of other employees; Emmett also took out his grudge against Jackson on G’Blae simply because they are both Black.  In G’Blae’s presence, Emmett made insulting remarks about Jackson and other Black performers who had worked with him, including Cardi B and Quavo.

The harassment only got worse when G’Blae traveled to Puerto Rico for filming.  Emmett allegedly instructed him to engage in illegal activities, such as filing a fraudulent insurance claim to say that Emmett’s Rolls Royce had been stolen and stealing a brick of cocaine from a hotel room.  Another allegation is that, given the number of hours G’Blae worked per week and the amount of money he received, Emmett Furla Oasis paid him less than California’s legal minimum wage.  G’Blae alleges that, when he complained about these problems, Emmett Furla Oasis terminated his employment.

Speak With a Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Lawyer

A Los Angeles employment discrimination lawyer can help you if your employer terminated your employment after you complained about discrimination in the workplace.  Contact Litigation, P.C. in Los Angeles, California to discuss your situation or call (424)284-2401.

Source:

latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-11-01/randall-emmett-sued-for-race-discrimination-hostile-workplace-martin-gblae