Briana Thomas, a prominent extra on soap opera “Young & the Restless,” has sued Sony and CBS and accused showrunner Anthony Morina of sexual harassment.
Thomas alleges that when she shot down Morina’s advances, she was wrongly terminated from the daytime program.
She is seeking “unpaid wages” and “premium pay,” as well as compensatory, exemplary and punitive damages, attorneys’s fees and other financial relief.
Thomas played the barista at the show’s Crimson Lights Coffeehouse, and “appeared fairly regularly for several years.” The character was assigned the name “Lizzy Cooper.” At this point, Thomas was taping the show “almost every day,” according to her lawyers, amassing more than 150 appearances from February 2018 to January 2019.
The filing accuses Morina of making “inappropriate sexual comments and advances” toward Thomas. When they met, Morina “obstructed [Thomas’s] path to the dressing room,” it reads. He then “placed his hand on [her] shoulder and was staring at her breasts,...
Thomas alleges that when she shot down Morina’s advances, she was wrongly terminated from the daytime program.
She is seeking “unpaid wages” and “premium pay,” as well as compensatory, exemplary and punitive damages, attorneys’s fees and other financial relief.
Thomas played the barista at the show’s Crimson Lights Coffeehouse, and “appeared fairly regularly for several years.” The character was assigned the name “Lizzy Cooper.” At this point, Thomas was taping the show “almost every day,” according to her lawyers, amassing more than 150 appearances from February 2018 to January 2019.
The filing accuses Morina of making “inappropriate sexual comments and advances” toward Thomas. When they met, Morina “obstructed [Thomas’s] path to the dressing room,” it reads. He then “placed his hand on [her] shoulder and was staring at her breasts,...
- 8/20/2021
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Actress Briana Thomas is suing Sony Pictures Television and CBS Studios, the producers of long-running soap The Young and the Restless, alleging harassment on the set from its showrunner, Anthony “Tony” Morina.
Thomas appeared on the show in a background role as a barista in 2018 and 2019. Legal papers filed Thursday in LA Superior Court (read here) claim in detail that during that time, EP Morina commented on her body, made repeated advances, offered “private acting lessons,” then fired her when he was rebuffed.
The complaint states that Morina would leer at Thomas, complimenting her looks and allegedly telling her she could “really be something” on the show. He allegedly asked her to remove a sarong so he could see her in a bikini in one poolside scene.
“It’s a tough industry to break into, unless you know someone who can help you,” he allegedly said, touching her waist while playing with her bikini strings.
Thomas appeared on the show in a background role as a barista in 2018 and 2019. Legal papers filed Thursday in LA Superior Court (read here) claim in detail that during that time, EP Morina commented on her body, made repeated advances, offered “private acting lessons,” then fired her when he was rebuffed.
The complaint states that Morina would leer at Thomas, complimenting her looks and allegedly telling her she could “really be something” on the show. He allegedly asked her to remove a sarong so he could see her in a bikini in one poolside scene.
“It’s a tough industry to break into, unless you know someone who can help you,” he allegedly said, touching her waist while playing with her bikini strings.
- 8/20/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The executive producer of “The Young and the Restless” allegedly made repeated advances toward an actress, commented on her body, offered her a “private acting lesson” and had her fired when she rebuffed him, according to a lawsuit filed on Thursday.
Actress Briana Thomas filed suit against Sony Pictures Television, which produces the long-running CBS soap opera, and CBS Studios. The complaint alleges that showrunner Anthony “Tony” Morina took an interest in Thomas when she appeared in a background role as a barista in 2018 and 2019.
According to the complaint, he would often leer at her, get close to her, and compliment her looks, telling her she could “really be something” on the show. In one poolside scene, he allegedly tried to get her to remove her sarong so that he could see her in a bikini.
“It’s a tough industry to break into, unless you know someone who can help you,...
Actress Briana Thomas filed suit against Sony Pictures Television, which produces the long-running CBS soap opera, and CBS Studios. The complaint alleges that showrunner Anthony “Tony” Morina took an interest in Thomas when she appeared in a background role as a barista in 2018 and 2019.
According to the complaint, he would often leer at her, get close to her, and compliment her looks, telling her she could “really be something” on the show. In one poolside scene, he allegedly tried to get her to remove her sarong so that he could see her in a bikini.
“It’s a tough industry to break into, unless you know someone who can help you,...
- 8/20/2021
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
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