Lawsuit Alleges Sustained Harassment
A legal action lodged this week in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that Ed Brubaker, who serves as showrunner for the forthcoming Prime Video series Criminal, engaged in ongoing harassment of a production assistant based on sex, race, national origin, and religion. The complainant, Ljaaz Noobu, a filmmaker of Sri Lankan descent with 14 years in the industry, joined the project in February 2023 as an assistant to Brubaker. The filing, which includes 12 counts, portrays a work environment poisoned by those in leadership roles.[S1]
Noobu, who was the only Muslim on set, alleges he faced demeaning stereotypes and was asked by Brubaker if he supported Hamas. The complaint also names executive producer Phillip Barnett, Amazon Services, MGM, and other entities as defendants. It claims Barnett enabled the misconduct by directing others to avoid documenting complaints and ignoring abusive conduct. The corporate defendants allegedly failed to take reasonable steps to prevent harassment despite high-level supervisors and numerous witnesses being present.[S1]
Set Ban and Credit Removal
Noobu further alleges that he was banned from the set after raising concerns about Brubaker's behavior. He says he was removed from the production earlier than expected and that his credit on Criminal has since disappeared. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the alleged mistreatment.[S1]
Representatives for Amazon MGM and Brubaker did not respond to requests for comment. The series, based on the graphic novel series by Brubaker and Sean Phillips, was ordered in January 2024 and features a cast including Charlie Hunnam, Emilia Clarke, and Luke Evans. It has not yet premiered on the streaming service.[S1]
