Leah McSweeney has filed a civil lawsuit towards Bravo and Andy Cohen after her expertise filming Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis and Actual Housewives: Final Ladies Journey.
In accordance with court docket paperwork obtained by Web page Six on Tuesday, February 27, the fact star and her attorneys allege Cohen, 55, and the community deliberately preyed on McSweeney’s wrestle with alcoholism in an try to attain huge scores.
“This isn’t a narrative I ever thought I’d be telling; in actual fact, I used to be petrified to talk on it and was warned to not,” McSweeney, 41, mentioned through an Instagram put up hours after the go well with was filed. “Your favourite Bravo exhibits are run by individuals who create a harmful work setting, encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama and cynically prey on the vulnerabilities of their staff.”
Whereas McSweeney mentioned a few of the tales detailed within the lawsuit have been proven in edited kind on TV, viewers might study far more because the case performs out in New York.
A number of of Hollywood’s greatest stars have been candid about their sobriety journeys through the years. Kelly Osbourne, who beforehand talked about being sober for six years, revealed in April 2021 that she had suffered a relapse and was engaged on subsequent steps. “Not happy with it. However I’m again on monitor,” she wrote through […]
“There will likely be far more that comes out as soon as the folks concerned are questioned below oath. At present I’m taking again my actuality,” she mentioned. “The reckless and diabolical manner by which the folks on the high drool over the mishaps and misfortunes of the ladies together with myself are disturbing. It’s a office tradition the place toxicity, alcoholism and ache are usually not solely anticipated however inspired and facilitated. That’s one thing I most positively didn’t join nor would I ever endorse.”
McSweeney appeared in two seasons of Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis between 2020 and 2021 and one season of the spinoff Actual Housewives: Final Ladies Journey in 2023.
Within the go well with, McSweeney mentioned she informed producers earlier than her first season that she’d been sober for 30 days and dealing to take care of her sobriety.
As a substitute of offering enough care and help all through her filming expertise, McSweeney and her authorized workforce alleged within the lawsuit that producers pressured her to drink in all three seasons.
“There’s nothing extra necessary than my sobriety, with out it I danger dropping all the things,” McSweeney mentioned through Instagram. “I’ve been very clear about my dependancy and restoration, nevertheless there are private issues within the lawsuit that I by no means wished to reveal for concern of being judged and shamed, however I’m at some extent now in my life the place I really feel robust sufficient to face up to no matter might come my manner.”
Whereas McSweeney mentioned she has “love and respect for a lot of” of the Bravo expertise she has met and labored with through the years, she hopes her lawsuit “helps actuality TV to align with its true function: to authentically depict the complexities of life whereas providing real help to those that share their tales.”
The Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis premiered in 2008, however not each Housewife has gone the space. The season 1 forged of RHONY included Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Bethenny Frankel, Jill Zarin and Alex McCord. Whereas Kelly Killoren Bensimon joined the forged throughout season 2, Sonja Morgan grew to become a full-time forged member throughout […]
“I’ve been making an attempt to deal with this internally for years now however have been dismissed, stone-walled, and gaslit (however truly) at each flip since,” she mentioned. “Bravo can attempt to manipulate my actuality and others’ all they need, however the chilly laborious info of this case are as actual because it will get. Thanks to my shut family and friends and naturally @adelmanmatz who’ve supported me in each troublesome however obligatory step of this journey. I’ll see you in court docket.”
Us Weekly has reached out to Bravo, Cohen’s rep and McSweeney’s attorneys for remark.
