Bryan Fuller, the creator of shows including “Hannibal” and “American Gods,” was accused in a lawsuit on Wednesday of sexually harassing a fellow producer on an AMC docuseries about queer horror.
Fuller is accused of making constant references to masturbation, engaging in casual bullying, and creating a hostile work environment. The plaintiff, Sam Wineman, alleges that Fuller also repeatedly held him from behind to “crack his back,” during which he would press his penis against Wineman’s buttocks.
Fuller and Wineman are both gay. They worked together on the series “Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror,” a four-part docuseries that was released on AMC’s Shudder streaming service in 2022.
Wineman alleges that he was removed from the project in August 2021, about four weeks after complaining about Fuller’s conduct.
According to the suit, Fuller made numerous references to his penis, talked about which reading material gave him erections, and talked about “wanking it” to adult/child power dynamics in stories. The suit also alleges that Fuller left lubricant and balled up tissues on his desk, so that Wineman would know he had been masturbating.
Fuller also allegedly made bullying comments about Wineman, saying he was “weak,” lacked charisma, and was “drier than NPR.”
The lawsuit alleges that the executive producers coddled Fuller and protected him from consequences, saying that he was “the money,” and “we have to keep the money happy.”
AMC said it was reviewing the lawsuit, and declined to comment.
Deadline first reported the suit. Bryan Freedman, Fuller’s attorney, told the outlet that the allegations are “fictitious” and “absolute garbage” and that Wineman was fired for “gross incompetence.”
“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,” Freedman told Deadline.
Wineman wrote and directed “The Quiet Room,” a horror short film that played at Outfest in 2018. Fuller won an Outfest achievement award in 2017. In his acceptance speech, he outed Thomas Dekker, a star of the NBC show “Heroes.”
