Gabrielle Union says she shared her 'unfiltered truth' in 'productive' 5-hour meeting with NBC
Former America’s Got Talent judge Gabrielle Union tweeted Wednesday that she had a “lengthy 5-hour” meeting about her firing from the show last month, which reportedly stemmed from various concerns she expressed during her one year there.
Union described the Tuesday night meeting — which EW has learned included NBC, AGT production company Fremantle, and show creator and judge Simon Cowell’s company Syco Entertainment — as “productive” and said she was “able to, again, express my unfiltered truth. I led with transparency and my desire and hope for real change.”
“The initial conversation was candid and productive,” NBC said in a statement. “While there will be a further investigation to get a deeper understanding of the facts, we are working with Gabrielle to come to a positive resolution.”
Representatives for Union and Fremantle did not immediately reply to EW’s request for comment and additional details.
According to multiple outlets, Cowell himself is now seemingly at the center of this further investigation into Union’s complaints about toxic culture on the set of the series.
America’s Got Talent and NBC have been in the hot seat after quietly letting go of Union and her fellow AGT judge Julianne Hough. Reports soon emerged about how Union was allegedly told her hairstyles were “too black,” and that producers ignored her request to flag with NBC human resources a racially insensitive joke made by AGT guest judge Jay Leno, among other issues.
As celebrities including Debra Messing and former AGT judge Howard Stern showed support for Union, Syco Entertainment, NBC, and Fremantle said in a joint statement on Sunday: “We remain committed to ensuring a respectful workplace for all employees and take very seriously any questions about workplace culture. We are working with Ms. Union through her representatives to hear more about her concerns, following which we will take whatever next steps may be appropriate.”
Prior to her tweet about the meeting, Union tweeted, “So many tears, so much gratitude. THANK YOU,” in response to the support she had received online after her firing.
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