Bryan Fuller, creator of Hannibal, Pushing Daisies and American Gods, among other series, was sued this week for sexual harassment by Queer for Fear producer Sam Wineman, who alleges that Fuller—who served as director and executive producer on that AMC Networks/Shudder docuseries—sexually assaulted him “several times” during the show’s production. Fuller repeatedly pressed his penis into Wineman’s backside under the cover of giving him a back massage and had a “preoccupation with masturbation,” Wineman alleges in his suit.
The hostile work environment that Fuller allegedly created included verbal harassment, as well as retaliation against Wineman in the form of the silent treatment, the sabotaging of shots and, ultimately, Wineman’s firing, which he says took place four weeks after he reported the director’s behavior.
Fuller’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, vehemently denied the allegations to Deadline, saying that “a malicious prosecution lawsuit aimed directly at [Wineman] is coming soon.”
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“Make no mistake, Sam Wineman will be sued for defamation based on what are 100 percent probably false statements,” the lawyer said, adding, “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.” The Daily Beast reached out to Freedman for comment.
But now, two of Wineman’s collaborators are speaking up on his behalf. Jordan Crucchiola, an associate producer on Queer for Fear and have both spoken out on X (formerly Twitter) in support of Wineman, who they say they were in contact with when the alleged harassment was taking place.
“I was an associate producer on Queer For Fear, before my name was taken off the credits, for several months in 2021,” Jordan Crucchiola posted. “And I was present for or told in real time about what is alleged against Bryan Fuller in this lawsuit. I stand with Sam telling the truth.”
“Make no mistake: All of the time stamped text messages exchanged between me and Sam for months during production of the docuseries will prove more than sufficiently that we discussed Fuller’s conduct as it happened. Constantly,” she added.
“I heard from Sam in real time as these things happened to him. I stand firmly beside my friend and collaborator,” composer Andrew Scott Bell, who said his score was ultimately removed from the final series, added. “We have to stand up to the monsters.”
The Daily Beast reached out to Bell, Crucchiola and AMC Networks for comment.
