9-1-1 actor sues Disney over vaccine mandate that pushed him out of show

Rockmond Dunbar has sued the producers of 9-1-1 after his stint on the Fox show came to an abrupt end over vaccine requirements.

Last year, it was reported that Dunbar was forced off the show after he sought medical and religious exemption from getting vaccinated against Covid-19.

These requests were rejected by 9-1-1’s production company 20th Television – a subsidiary of Disney Television Studios – after which his character Michael Grant was unexpectedly written out of the procedural drama in season five.

According to a new Deadline report, Dunbar has now initiated legal action against 20th Television, which is a subsidiary of Disney Television Studios.

In court documents, filed in a US District Court and dated Thursday (16 February), Dunbar accused Disney of racial discrimination, adding that “non-minority employees similarly situated” to the actor were not fired over refusing the Covid-19 vaccine.

The suit also alleged that Disney tried to “make an example” of Dunbar by portraying him as a “recalcitrant anti-vaxxer” instead of admitting that the 49-year-old actor holds a “non-mainstream religious belief” which prevents him from being vaccinated – “like millions of other Americans”.

Dunbar is seeking $1.3m (£955,272) in compensation under the terms of his contract, the 45-page filing stated.

Deadline reported that 20th Television declined to comment on Dunbar’s lawsuit.

However, at the time of the actor’s exit from 9-1-1, the studio had said: “We take the health and safety of all of our employees very seriously, and have implemented a mandatory vaccination confirmation process for those working in Zone A on our productions.”

Dunbar’s lawsuit comes amid reports that the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers and Hollywood’s unions have extended the industry’s Covid protocols until 30 April 2022.

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The Independent has reached out to Dunbar’s representative and 20th Television for comment.

Cast as a series regular in season one, Dunbar’s character Michael Grant was married to LAPD field sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) before coming out as gay. Athena and Michael divorced by the end of the first season, while continuing to co-parent their children May and Harry.

At the end of season five, Michael reveals his decision to move to Haiti with his boyfriend, neurosurgeon David (La Monde Byrd), thereby ending the actor’s run on the show.